Source · Select Committees · Foreign Affairs Committee
Recommendation 14
14
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The Taliban takeover is a tragedy for Afghanistan, marking the single biggest reversal in the...
Recommendation
The Taliban takeover is a tragedy for Afghanistan, marking the single biggest reversal in the rights of women and girls in a generation. We welcome the Government’s pragmatic engagement with the Taliban at official level: it is valid to withhold recognition, but attempts to isolate the new regime entirely may only worsen the situation for the Afghan people, reduce the UK’s influence, and leave a vacuum to be filled by powers such as China. The Government should re-establish a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan as soon as it is safe to do so. It should coordinate its engagement with its partners to ensure that the international community delivers clear, consistent messages to the Taliban as far as possible, and should support international efforts to track and monitor commitments made by the Taliban, and hold the regime accountable for its actions. It should commit, and press other countries to commit, not to send male-only delegations to meet with the regime.
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48
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
106. The Government agrees with the Committee on the need for sustained, patient, and pragmatic UK engagement in Afghanistan, and that is the strategy it has pursued since last August. The Government agrees that any attempt to isolate the Taliban internationally would be unlikely to help the Afghan people. Since the withdrawal of our diplomatic presence in Afghanistan, the UK has established a temporary UK Mission to Afghanistan based in Doha, Qatar. The UK’s Chargé d’Affaires there leads our engagement with the Taliban, supplemented by engagement from London-based officials. UK officials have visited Kabul for talks, as well as meeting Taliban representatives in Doha and other third countries. As with other G7 countries, UK engagement is conducted by officials, not by Ministers. The Government agrees with the Committee that it is important that women should be part of UK official delegations meeting the Taliban, and will ensure that wherever possible this is the case. 107. The Government agrees that the UK should re-establish a diplomatic presence in Kabul, as soon as security and political conditions permit. The security situation remains a serious concern, however, with ISIS Khorasan Province in particular having demonstrated the intent and capability to target the international community. The UK’s ability to mitigate security threats to its civilian staff in Kabul has been dramatically reduced, with the withdrawal of NATO troops, the end of military flights, the limitations on the operations of private security companies in Afghanistan, and the lack of access to emergency medical facilities. 108. The Government agrees with the Committee that UK engagement should be co- ordinated with other international partners, to try to ensure consistency of messages. This has been a key UK objective since last August. In August 2021, the UK, as then chair of the G7, secured agreement on a set of common requirements for the Taliban if they were to proceed towards greater international recognition. The principles remain the core of the Government’s approach today, and the FCDO tracks progress against them. 109. The G7 statement at the time said that “Any future Afghan government must adhere to Afghanistan’s international obligations and commitment to protect against terrorism; safeguard the human rights of all Afghans, particularly women, children, and ethnic and religious minorities; uphold the rule of law; allow unhindered and unconditional