Afghanistan | Despite the oppression of women, the world opens up to the Taliban

(Kabul) Until recently, since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, their misogynistic policies seemed to lead them to almost total isolation in the world.

The West and Islamic countries have condemned the worst measures, particularly on girls’ education. Diplomatic overtures from the regime indicating its desire to engage with the world have been ignored. To date, no country recognizes the legitimacy of the Taliban at the head of Afghanistan.

But in recent months, we have felt the tide turning.

Dozens of countries have hosted Taliban diplomats. High-level officials have gone to Kabul to establish diplomatic ties, invest and negotiate trade deals. Taliban cadres have obtained reprieves from the travel ban. There is even talk of removing the group from international terrorist lists.

Diplomatic activity denotes the normalization of the Taliban: yesterday insurgents, today they are political leaders. There is a consensus in many capitals: the Taliban government is here to stay.

Which countries are establishing ties with the Taliban?

China was the first, in January, to welcome a Taliban diplomat as Afghanistan’s ambassador – a title usually reserved for envoys whose countries are officially recognized internationally. The United Arab Emirates did the same in August.

This paves the way for the official recognition of the Taliban government by these two countries, believe several experts.

In August, Uzbekistan dispatched its prime minister to Kabul; This is the largest foreign visit to Afghanistan since the Taliban took power. Russia plans to remove the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations; it would be the first country to do so.

The Taliban have also had success in Afghanistan’s diplomatic missions around the world. After the collapse of the U.S.-backed Afghan government in 2021, incumbent Afghan diplomats continued to run the country’s embassies, often lobbying their host countries for policies that the Taliban opposed.

However, last month, the Taliban Foreign Ministry announced that it controlled around forty Afghan embassies and consulates. Authority over these diplomatic missions demonstrates the Taliban’s grip on Afghanistan and gives the group a voice in countries where its leaders cannot visit due to international travel bans.

And in the West?

Western countries were the first to denounce the Taliban’s treatment of women, hoping to encourage them to back down on their most controversial policies.

The United States is sticking to its strict policy on women’s rights: sanctions are in place and Taliban officials remain on the blacklist until restrictions are eased.

But the United States is now an exception. Since the peremptory rejection of external pressure by the Taliban, many European countries and international organizations seem to accept the limits of their influence and engage on issues where common ground can exist.

In June, the UN convinced the Taliban to attend a conference on Afghanistan by removing women’s rights from the agenda. The Taliban had already refused two similar invitations.

In recent months, European countries have put pressure on Afghan diplomats in their capitals to recognize the authority of the Taliban government, according to three officials familiar with the matter.

Afghanistan’s embassies in London and Oslo instead closed their doors last month. According to the ambassador to Britain, appointed by the former US-backed government, the embassy closed “at the official request of the host country”.

European leaders are motivated by two fears: if chaos returns to Afghanistan, waves of Afghan migrants or terrorism could hit Europe.

What does this mean for Afghanistan?

The gradual acceptance of the Taliban government creates opportunities for trade and investment – ​​liquidity injections sorely needed since the fall of the US-backed government.

Over the past year, the Taliban have granted dozens of mining permits in the country. They have also signed contracts with companies from neighboring countries to build infrastructure in Afghanistan, which lies at the crossroads of Central and South Asian trade routes. These decisions could revive the country’s economy and increase the popularity of the Taliban among the population.

On the other hand, this diplomatic improvement reduces the pressure exerted to ease the restrictions imposed on women. It is a victory for the Taliban and a blow for many Afghan women.

This article was published in the New York Times.

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