ISLAMABAD: Afghan embassies around the world have refused to recognize the new Taliban The regime is struggling to stay afloat and faces increasing pressure from Kabul to accept a loyalist replacement.
Any of the country’s 60 or more heads of ambassadors, consulates, or diplomatic missions, who were appointed by a Western-backed former president Ashraf Ghani They have agreed to serve the radical Islamist group since seizing power in August last year.
The Taliban government has not yet been formally recognized by any nation, and the international community is grappling with how to deal with the country’s new rulers, as well as the economic and humanitarian crisis facing Afghans. also be helped.
“We are in a very unfortunate situation, but we still have to continue working in these difficult circumstances,” Yusuf said. GafoorzaiAmbassador to Norway.
“Embassies still have a very important role to play in terms of trying to extend whatever humanitarian support is possible. But also (to help) discuss the political track … to stabilize the situation.”
Aid and cash reserves withheld by the United States and the international community after the Taliban came under control are returning to the country, which has long relied almost entirely on donors.
But Gafoorzai and his associates have no contact with the new regime and the employees have not been paid for months.
The Afghan Embassy and its consulates in the United States are being closed in the coming week.
“Afghan embassies and consulates are under severe financial pressure. Their bank accounts are not available to them,” a US State Department the official told AFP.
The embassy and Washington have “arranged for an orderly closure of operations in a manner that will protect and preserve all diplomatic mission property in the United States until operations are resumed,” the official said. he said.
Around the world, Afghan ambassadors have been forced to dramatically reduce their activities, reduce energy bills and food costs, and even move to smaller campuses.
They have also increased the consular fee to generate revenue.
“The Embassy is not receiving any funding or financial support from Kabul,” Farid MamundzayThe ambassador told AFP in New Delhi.
“In the absence of necessary financial support and lack of resources, we have not been able to pay the salaries of the employees for months and had to reduce the cost of the mission and the cost of the mission to the minimum.”
It is unclear how long visas, certificates and other documents issued by holdout embassies will be recognized – either by the Taliban or the international community.
New passports issued in Kabul still refer to the country as the Islamic Republic AfghanistanThe Taliban preferred “Emirates” instead, but officials have warned foreign journalists arriving with visas issued independently by the Dubai embassy that they may not be awarded in the future.
In a handful of countries near Afghanistan, some ambassadors have left their positions or have been ousted by the Taliban, who have enlisted their representatives – but even replacements face difficulty. Is.
Salaries have not been paid in Pakistan since September. A source at the consulate in Peshawar, near the Afghan border, said the employees live on income from visa and passport renewal fees and marriage certificates.
The source said the new consul general, appointed by the Taliban, gets just 50,000 rupees ($280) a month, compared to his predecessor’s around $5,000 a month.
The Taliban made Pakistan, which had long been accused of supporting their cause, the first country to which they sent a new representative.
In Beijing, the ambassador resigned after a senior diplomat loyal to the Taliban was appointed to the embassy, which he now unofficially leads.
The Taliban have also managed to impose their men in Uzbekistan and Iran.
Meanwhile, Russia said it was ready to accept “two or three” new diplomats, but they would not replace the current ambassador.
The Taliban did not respond to AFP’s requests for comment, but they have previously claimed to largely control Afghan embassies.
However, they have failed to keep one of their top spokespersons, Suhail ShaheenRecognized as ambassador to the United Nations, the General Assembly postponed voting on the matter indefinitely.
In Rome, Italian police had to intervene after a scuffle between the Afghan ambassador and the recently sacked pro-Taliban diplomat, who they claimed had been given the top job.
“Some of our missions have been subjected to threats, threats and violence by disgruntled former employees who are ideologically pro-Taliban,” he said. Khalid ZakariaAmbassador to Rome.
“The Taliban administration tried to persuade our embassy to act on their behalf, but I said no.
“My answer will remain the same until an inclusive representative government is established in Afghanistan, where the Taliban will be a part, not the sole, of this government.”
The Taliban have also sent delegations from Kabul to Oslo and Geneva, bypassing local embassies for talks with Western powers.
Afghan diplomatic missions – especially those in the West – united in January to openly criticize the Taliban for their failure to respect human rights ahead of a visit to Oslo.
“It’s a difficult situation,” said Ambassador Gafurzai to Norway.
“But we also know that we continue to represent people who have faced enormous hardships throughout their history.”
Any of the country’s 60 or more heads of ambassadors, consulates, or diplomatic missions, who were appointed by a Western-backed former president Ashraf Ghani They have agreed to serve the radical Islamist group since seizing power in August last year.
The Taliban government has not yet been formally recognized by any nation, and the international community is grappling with how to deal with the country’s new rulers, as well as the economic and humanitarian crisis facing Afghans. also be helped.
“We are in a very unfortunate situation, but we still have to continue working in these difficult circumstances,” Yusuf said. GafoorzaiAmbassador to Norway.
“Embassies still have a very important role to play in terms of trying to extend whatever humanitarian support is possible. But also (to help) discuss the political track … to stabilize the situation.”
Aid and cash reserves withheld by the United States and the international community after the Taliban came under control are returning to the country, which has long relied almost entirely on donors.
But Gafoorzai and his associates have no contact with the new regime and the employees have not been paid for months.
The Afghan Embassy and its consulates in the United States are being closed in the coming week.
“Afghan embassies and consulates are under severe financial pressure. Their bank accounts are not available to them,” a US State Department the official told AFP.
The embassy and Washington have “arranged for an orderly closure of operations in a manner that will protect and preserve all diplomatic mission property in the United States until operations are resumed,” the official said. he said.
Around the world, Afghan ambassadors have been forced to dramatically reduce their activities, reduce energy bills and food costs, and even move to smaller campuses.
They have also increased the consular fee to generate revenue.
“The Embassy is not receiving any funding or financial support from Kabul,” Farid MamundzayThe ambassador told AFP in New Delhi.
“In the absence of necessary financial support and lack of resources, we have not been able to pay the salaries of the employees for months and had to reduce the cost of the mission and the cost of the mission to the minimum.”
It is unclear how long visas, certificates and other documents issued by holdout embassies will be recognized – either by the Taliban or the international community.
New passports issued in Kabul still refer to the country as the Islamic Republic AfghanistanThe Taliban preferred “Emirates” instead, but officials have warned foreign journalists arriving with visas issued independently by the Dubai embassy that they may not be awarded in the future.
In a handful of countries near Afghanistan, some ambassadors have left their positions or have been ousted by the Taliban, who have enlisted their representatives – but even replacements face difficulty. Is.
Salaries have not been paid in Pakistan since September. A source at the consulate in Peshawar, near the Afghan border, said the employees live on income from visa and passport renewal fees and marriage certificates.
The source said the new consul general, appointed by the Taliban, gets just 50,000 rupees ($280) a month, compared to his predecessor’s around $5,000 a month.
The Taliban made Pakistan, which had long been accused of supporting their cause, the first country to which they sent a new representative.
In Beijing, the ambassador resigned after a senior diplomat loyal to the Taliban was appointed to the embassy, which he now unofficially leads.
The Taliban have also managed to impose their men in Uzbekistan and Iran.
Meanwhile, Russia said it was ready to accept “two or three” new diplomats, but they would not replace the current ambassador.
The Taliban did not respond to AFP’s requests for comment, but they have previously claimed to largely control Afghan embassies.
However, they have failed to keep one of their top spokespersons, Suhail ShaheenRecognized as ambassador to the United Nations, the General Assembly postponed voting on the matter indefinitely.
In Rome, Italian police had to intervene after a scuffle between the Afghan ambassador and the recently sacked pro-Taliban diplomat, who they claimed had been given the top job.
“Some of our missions have been subjected to threats, threats and violence by disgruntled former employees who are ideologically pro-Taliban,” he said. Khalid ZakariaAmbassador to Rome.
“The Taliban administration tried to persuade our embassy to act on their behalf, but I said no.
“My answer will remain the same until an inclusive representative government is established in Afghanistan, where the Taliban will be a part, not the sole, of this government.”
The Taliban have also sent delegations from Kabul to Oslo and Geneva, bypassing local embassies for talks with Western powers.
Afghan diplomatic missions – especially those in the West – united in January to openly criticize the Taliban for their failure to respect human rights ahead of a visit to Oslo.
“It’s a difficult situation,” said Ambassador Gafurzai to Norway.
“But we also know that we continue to represent people who have faced enormous hardships throughout their history.”