- The Taliban government has not been recognized by any foreign capital.
- The United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan also share economic ties with Kabul.
- The Afghan government has sent envoys to several countries, including Pakistan.
ISLAMABAD: The Taliban-led Afghan Foreign Ministry said it has appointed its first ambassador accredited to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the second country to accept an envoy of that level after China.
The UAE Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Taliban 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 neighboring Pakistan, to lead missions as “chargés d'affaires.”
The Taliban-run Foreign Ministry said in a statement late on Wednesday that Mawlawi Badreddin Haqqani had been nominated as its ambassador and presented his credentials to the UAE 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 UAE during (an) official ceremony,” the ministry said.
The Taliban share economic ties with the United Arab Emirates, which has won contracts to run operations at Kabul airport in 2022. Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi in June.
The Taliban entered the Afghan capital on August 15, 2021, as Afghan security forces, built up with years of Western support, disintegrated and US-backed President Ashraf Ghani fled.
Although China and the UAE have neither formally recognized the Taliban administration nor confirmed any official change in relations, diplomats and international analysts say formally accepting an ambassador is a grey area of international diplomacy that could constitute an improvement in ties.
Many governments, especially in Western countries including Washington, have said the path to any formal recognition of the Taliban will be stalled until they change course on women's rights and reopen secondary schools and universities to girls and women.
The Taliban say they respect rights in accordance with their interpretation of Islamic law and that restrictions on their banking sector and lack of recognition are hampering their economy.
