Norway’s foreign ministry said on Friday that a Taliban delegation is expected to hold talks with Norwegian officials and representatives of Afghan civil society in Oslo next week.
The ministry said the visit is scheduled from Sunday to Tuesday and the Taliban will meet with Norwegian officials and officials from several allied countries to discuss the humanitarian situation and human rights in Afghanistan.
The ministry did not specify which allies would participate, but the Norwegian newspaper VG said These will include Britain, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy and the US.
Norway’s Foreign Minister Aniken Huitfeld said: “We are deeply concerned about the dire situation in Afghanistan, where millions of people are facing a completely humanitarian disaster.”
“In order to be able to help the civilian population in Afghanistan, it is essential that both, the international community and Afghans from different parts of society, engage in dialogue with the Taliban,” Huitfeld said.
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Emphasizing that Norway will be “clear about our expectations”, particularly on “girls’ education and human rights”, Huitfeld said the meetings “will not represent the legitimacy or recognition of the Taliban.”
“But we must speak to the real authorities in the country. We cannot allow the political situation to lead to a worse humanitarian disaster,” said Hitfeld.
Taliban swept back to power As international troops last summer in Afghanistan Took back After two decades of presence. The US-led invasion of late 2001 brought down the Taliban in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US.
The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has worsened since August. International aid came to a sudden halt and the US Accumulated $9.5 billion in assets in the Afghan central bank.
Famine now threatens 23 million Afghans, or 55 percent of the population, according to the United Nations They say This year $5bn is needed from donor countries to address the humanitarian crisis in the country.
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