U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Excluded Talibans From Doha Meeting

(CTN NEWS) – According to a U.N. official on Friday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has not invited the Taliban government to a conference he is hosting with special envoys on Afghanistan from other nations in Doha next week.

According to Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for the United Nations, “the Secretary-General has not extended an invitation to the de facto authorities.”

Taliban not invited to UN Doha meeting

Last week, after remarks made by the deputy U.N. chief caused concern and misunderstanding, the United Nations had to emphasise that the meeting would not be centred on potential international recognition of the Taliban government.

Instead, the summit scheduled for Monday and Tuesday in Qatar is meant to put the emphasis on reviving “the international engagement around common objectives for a durable way forward on… Afghanistan,” according to Dujarric.

Amina Mohammed, Guterres’ deputy, had said last week that the Doha summit “could find those baby steps to put us back on the pathway to recognition.”

Taliban seized power in August 2021 as U.S.-led forces withdrew following 20 years of war

The Taliban leadership was urged to “swiftly reverse” an assault on the rights of women and girls after the U.N. Security Council unanimously denounced a ban on Afghan women working for the UN in Afghanistan on Thursday.

According to the Taliban, who adhere to a rigorous interpretation of Islamic law, women’s rights are respected.

Taliban representatives claimed that the choice of female humanitarian workers is a “internal issue.”