Amir Khan Muttaqi meets UN special representative in Afghanistan

Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Rabab Fatima, the new head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), stressed mutual understanding and continued constructive engagement in their first meeting.

The Taliban Foreign Ministry announced the meeting in a statement this evening (Sunday, Mizan 26), saying the two sides discussed expanding cooperation between Afghanistan and the United Nations, the humanitarian needs of returnees and effective coordination of humanitarian assistance.

The ministry added that the discussions stressed keeping economic activities and humanitarian assistance separate from political issues and meeting humanitarian needs while increasing support for development and infrastructure projects.

The Taliban Foreign Ministry said the discussions also stressed the importance of using accurate and reliable information, providing a balanced account of conditions on the ground and ensuring the necessary coordination with relevant Taliban institutions regarding UN reports and assessments on Afghanistan.

According to the ministry, the two sides also discussed cooperation to address Afghanistan’s needs and challenges related to climate change.

The Taliban Foreign Ministry added that the two sides also discussed the activities of the Doha process working groups on the private sector and counter-narcotics, their upcoming meetings and coordination among relevant organizations.

The ministry said both sides concluded by stressing continued mutual understanding, constructive engagement and further strengthening of cooperation between Afghanistan and the United Nations.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has not yet commented on the meeting.

This was Rabab Fatima’s first meeting with a Taliban official in her capacity as the secretary-general’s special representative and head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.

The Bangladeshi diplomat recently arrived in Kabul and took up her duties.