UAE confirms Afghan Taliban ambassador appointed to Abu Dhabi

The United Arab Emirates has accepted the credentials of a Taliban-appointed diplomat as the ambassador of Afghanistan, a UAE official said on Thursday, making the Gulf state the second country after China to accept a Taliban envoy at that level.

Afghanistan's Taliban-led foreign ministry said it had appointed its first accredited ambassador to the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday.

The UAE official told news agency 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 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 Taliban's government has not been officially recognised by any foreign capital, and only Beijing has formally accepted the credentials of an ambassador.

The Taliban have also sent envoys to several countries, including neighbouring Pakistan, to head missions as "chargé d'affaires".

The Taliban-run foreign ministry said in a statement 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 ties with the UAE, which won contracts to run operations at Kabul airport in 2022. Interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, designated as a "specially designated global terrorist" by the US, met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi in June.

The Taliban entered the Afghan capital on 15 August in 2021, as the Afghan security forces, set up with years of Western support, disintegrated and US-backed President Ashraf Ghani fled.

Though China and the UAE have not formally recognised the Taliban administration or confirmed any official change in relations, diplomats and international analysts say that formally accepting an ambassador is a grey area of global diplomacy that could constitute upgraded ties.

Many governments, especially Western nations including Washington, have said the path to any formal recognition of the Taliban will be stuck until they change course on women's rights and re-open high schools and universities to girls and women.

The Taliban say they respect rights by their interpretation of Islamic law and that restrictions on its banking sector and a lack of recognition are hindering its economy.

(Reuters)