UN's DiCarlo Meets Haqqani on Ties, Narcotics, Private Sector

Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Deputy Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, met with Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, Minister of Interior of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, during her visit to Kabul.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Interior, the two sides discussed constructive engagement between the Islamic Emirate and the international community, as well as expanding cooperation in light of existing realities. Both parties emphasized that mutual respect and realistic cooperation could strengthen trust.

The statement detailed discussions on the progress of engagement between Afghanistan and the international community, cooperation in combating narcotics, strengthening economic stability, ways to lift current restrictions on the private sector, and the effectiveness of the UN's humanitarian cooperation.

This meeting occurred during DiCarlo's second visit to Kabul since 2024, which is linked to the Doha process. The Doha process is a UN-led mechanism for managing international engagement with Afghanistan in a phased and conditional manner. Three meetings have been held so far under this process, led by the UN Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General.

Political analyst Enayatullah Hammam described the process as a gateway for the Islamic Emirate's views to reach the world, given Afghanistan's sanctions and lack of international recognition.

During her three-day visit, DiCarlo also met with Alireza Bikdeli, Iran's Acting Ambassador, to discuss UNAMA's activities and cooperation with Tehran.