Delegation of Taliban officials, diplomatic visit to Japan

2025-02-18 18:19:23Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Delegation of Taliban officials, diplomatic visit to Japan
Taliban

Japanese officials said senior Afghan Taliban officials were in Japan for talks, as part of Tokyo's efforts to help Afghanistan build a more inclusive political system and protect human rights.

This is their first known diplomatic trip outside the Central Asia and Middle East region since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021.

The unidentified senior Taliban officials were invited by the grant-making organization Nippon Zaidan and were also set to talk with Japanese Foreign Ministry officials, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters on Monday.

Taliban officials were invited to help them better understand the need "to have a broad perspective towards building their future nation and to widely accept humanitarian assistance from the international community for vulnerable people," Nippon Zaidan said in a statement. He declined to give details about the visitors or their schedule.

Japan does not officially recognize the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan.

Hayashi noted that the visit was initiated by a private organization, but complements the Japanese government's efforts to work with the international community to call on the Taliban to make policy changes that protect human rights.

The restrictions the Taliban impose on women and girls are a major obstacle to recognizing the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan.

The trip was initially revealed by Latif Nazari, the Taliban's deputy minister of economy, who posted on the X platform that "a high-level delegation" was heading to Japan and that the Taliban seek dignified engagement with the world as an active member of the international community.


Video