Afghanistan: Foreign minister seeks to have good relations with nations, has yet to commit to girls' education

With the Taliban in power in Afghanistan, the insurgent group’s administration is looking to gain recognition from the international community through its pledges towards certain reforms requested. However, the insurgent group’s foreign minister has yet to commit to the reform involving girls’ education.

At an event hosted by the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi urged to have good relations between the Taliban-backed Afghan government with the international community. Muttaqi explained that this was the way to prevent Afghanistan from a further economic crisis and a way to engage in a positive manner with the rest of the world. The insurgent group came to power in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of the US and allied forces from the country and the collapse of the western-backed Afghan government.

“The international community need to start cooperating with us,” said Muttaqi at the event that took place Monday. “With this, we will be able to stop insecurity and at the same time with this, we will be able to engage positively with the world.”

However, despite the call for good relations, Muttaqi did not say whether the insurgent group’s administration will allow girls to return to high school, which is one of the key demands made by the international community. This came as the group announced in September that schools above the sixth grade would reopen for boys only.

Muttaqi explained that the Taliban’s administration was moving slowly but had only been in power for several weeks and cannot be expected to immediately make good on the reforms being asked of them by the international community. The group’s approach to girls’ education has been a point of criticism from the international community. This was seen to be one of the positive outcomes of the west’s presence in Afghanistan over the last 20 years.

Meanwhile, leaders of the G20 member nations have come to an agreement that they will have to involve the Taliban in sending humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. While they have come to an agreement with regards to the humanitarian aid, they have ruled out the move as a sign of recognizing the insurgent group as the war-torn nation’s government.