Blitz Bureau
The UAE has accepted the credentials of an ambassador from Afghanistan’s Taliban Government, officials said, becoming just the second country after China to do so.
The Kabul Foreign Ministry announced on social media that new Ambassador Mawlawi Badruddin Haqqani had been received in a ceremony in Abu Dhabi.
The UAE official told Reuters that accepting “the credentials of the Ambassador of Afghanistan” reaffirms the Gulf state’s determination to build bridges and help Afghans, including through development and reconstruction projects.
“The decision to accept the credentials of the Ambassador of Afghanistan reaffirms our determination to contribute to building bridges to help the people of Afghanistan.”
The official did not say whether the UAE, among three nations to have recognised the 1996-2001 Taliban government, now recognised the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan.
The acceptance is seen as a victory of the Taliban authorities, who remain largely isolated internationally and unrecognised by the UN, partly for denying girls access to secondary education.
The US has held back from criticising the move, saying it will not affect Washington’s relations with the UAE. The UAE’s growing ties with Afghanistan include the management of its airports by an Emirati firm, GAAC, following the withdrawal of US forces and the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. “The world recognises the challenges faced by Afghanistan over the past few years,” an Emirati official said, Khaleej Times reported quoting AFP.
The UAE plans to provide “humanitarian assistance through development and reconstruction projects” and support efforts towards “regional de-escalation and stability”, the statement said. Last week, President Sheikh Mohamed visited Afghanistan’s prime minister, Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, as he received treatment in a UAE hospital.
