World has no clear policy on Afghanistan: Qatar

DOHA: There has yet to be a “clear policy” formed by the international community on how to deal with the current situation in Afghanistan, a senior Qatari official said.

Talking at the “Rome MED 2021 -- Mediterranean Dialogues,” Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Qatar’s foreign minister, said that the situation in Afghanistan needed “everybody’s help,” specifically to rebuild Afghan infrastructure and support the people.

“I think the main challenge right now in Afghanistan (is) that there is an absence of clarity over the way to deal with Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in August,” he said. “…I think the situation in Afghanistan needs everybody’s help and needs the cooperation of the international community to work together collectively to help… I am sure that they will have an opportunity to help in rebuilding the infrastructure of Afghanistan and help support the Afghan people, which Qatar welcomes. I don’t think that any other country is not welcoming such an effort,” Al Thani added. He warned that Afghanistan’s instability will lead to the destabilization of other countries.

“I believe that the threat of terrorism or the threat of instability in Afghanistan is going to have a dangerous affect on all those (European and US) countries,” he said. “…I think this should present an opportunity, where all of us can come together and work together for the interest of the Afghan people.”

He voiced concerns on the current Afghan situation, saying that humanitarian aid should not be politicalized. Political analysts believe that the international community will monitor the “Taliban” whether they act in a political structure or remain as a threat.

“In international issues, the engagement is not important. The world has eyes on the Taliban’s actions,” said Muqdam Ameen, a political analyst. The Islamic Emirate has once again called on the international community to free the Afghan bank assets.

“We hope the international community release’s Afghanistan’s funds. They should help Afghanistan in other aspects as the country has been at war for the past 40 years,” said Ahmadullah Wasiq, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate. The Islamic Emirate has been in power for over three months but has yet to gain recognition by other countries.