KABUL: Afghanistan’s foreign ministry has announced the appointment of its first accredited ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, the second country to accept a Taliban envoy after China.
No country has yet officially recognized the Taliban’s government, however, only Beijing has formally accepted the credentials of an ambassador.
The Taliban have also sent ambassadors to several countries, including Pakistan, to head missions as “chargé d’affaires”.
The Taliban-run foreign ministry in a statement said that Mawlawi Badreddin Haqqani had been nominated as its ambassador and presented his credentials to the UAE’s foreign ministry’s assistant undersecretary for protocol affairs.
“The newly accredited Ambassador of Afghanistan will soon formally present his credentials to the Emir of the United Arab Emirates during (an) official ceremony,” the ministry said.
The Taliban share economic relations with the UAE, which won projects to run operations at Kabul airport in 2022. Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, has also met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi in June.
Though China and the UAE have not officially recognized the Taliban administration or confirmed any official change in ties, diplomats and international analysts say formally accepting an ambassador is a grey area of diplomacy that could constitute upgraded relations.
Many governments, especially Western countries including Washington, have said the path to any official recognition of the Taliban is linked with the change in policy on women’s rights and the re-opening of high schools and universities for girls.
