ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will send a delegation to Qatar to participate in a two-day conference on Afghanistan starting Sunday, announced the foreign office in Islamabad on Friday, describing the decision as part of its efforts to work for sustainable peace and prosperity in the neighborhood.
The meeting will be convened by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and bring together member-states and regional-organization special envoys to discuss increasing international engagement with Afghanistan.
The agenda aims to address key issues such as human rights, particularly the rights of women and girls, inclusive governance, countering terrorism, and drug trafficking, with the goal of reaching a common understanding on how to engage with the Taliban on these critical issues.
“Ambassador Asif Durrani, Pakistan’s Special Representative on Afghanistan, will lead the Pakistan delegation at the Meeting of Special Envoys on Afghanistan to be held on 18-19 February 2024 in Doha,” the foreign office said in a social media post. “The meeting is being convened by the UN Secretary-General to discuss approaches for international engagement with Afghanistan in a more coherent and structured manner.”
“Pakistan’s participation in the meeting is part of our efforts to actively engage with the international community, including the United Nations, to strengthen the efforts for lasting peace and prosperity in Afghanistan,” it added.
The meeting in Doha plans to include collective sessions with special envoys, featuring representatives from Afghan women’s groups and civil society.
The gathering is hoped to become a potential starting point for more inclusive intra-Afghan discussions, facilitated by the UN’s efforts to establish a more permanent framework for addressing the challenges facing Afghanistan.
Only a day before, the World Bank’s executive board endorsed the idea of making about $300 million available to help the people of Afghanistan outside the control of the Taliban authorities.
