RASC News Agency: The third round of the Doha meeting on Afghanistan, organized by the United Nations with the participation of representatives from 22 countries and several organizations, is scheduled to start at six this evening (Afghanistan time) and continue until eight tonight. This meeting will take place over two consecutive days (June 30 and July 1) at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Qatar’s capital.
Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, will host the event. Last night, the Taliban delegation, led by spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, arrived at the meeting venue. Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, and Thomas Nicholson, the EU Special Representative for Afghanistan, have confirmed their attendance.
This third Doha meeting is being held amidst criticism for excluding women, who make up half of Afghanistan’s population, from the agenda. Afghanistani women have boycotted this meeting and are calling for a widespread boycott. Women inside and outside Afghanistan have launched a campaign against the meeting and are actively protesting.
Several Afghanistani women’s protest movements have issued calls for demonstrations in response to this meeting, condemning it. Nabila Mosleh and Zubaida Akbar, two women invited to the meeting, have also stated that they will not attend a meeting where women are marginalized.
Despite this, the meeting with Taliban representatives will proceed shortly. Critical issues such as girls’ education, women’s rights, and human rights are not on the agenda. The meeting will address topics considered secondary to Afghanistan’s pressing needs.
Several Afghanistani leaders have labeled this meeting as an attempt to whitewash the Taliban, accusing the United Nations of legitimizing terrorists. They warn that terrorism is a global scourge that will eventually affect everyone.
