Thread by @_southasiatimes

1⃣ #SAT Update ✨

The UN is set to hold an #Afghanistan Envoys meeting with the Secretary-General, shortly.

This will be a one-of-its-kind conference since the takeover of #Kabul in 2021. Recognition of the #Taliban will be on agenda.

A 🧵

2⃣ The announcement came from UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, while she was speaking at Princeton’s School of Public & International Affairs.

Though exact date was not mentioned, but Zalmay Khalilzad wrote on his Twitter that meeting will convene on May 1 in #Doha.

3⃣ Amina Mohammed, in her talk, also mentioned another conference of high value being planned.

It will be hosted by Saudi Arabia & convened by the #OIC. The discussion will be on Women in #Islam.

4⃣ The highlight of this conference is that it will see a significant presence of #Muslim women clerics from all over the world, who are also actively engaged in preparing for this gathering.

Amina Mohammed visited #Afghanistan earlier this year in January.

5⃣ The visit followed the November work ban on women.

Of its context, the deputy SG said the world was forgetting Afghanistan & this ban shook the global community, stressing that engaging is the only way.

6⃣ The Taliban need recognition & this is the leverage that the world community has. The #UN wants to carve a pathway to principled & conditional recognition & this meeting will be a baby step towards that goal, told the deputy SG.

7⃣ Speaking of Afghanistan's neighbors, Amina Mohammed highlighted that the int community talks about rights but the neighborhood talks about the risks of Afghanistan imploding.

This has led the neighborhood to establish economic & security ties with the Taliban rather quickly.

8⃣ It tells that despite sanctions being in place, Afghanistan has an economic base & there are even "trade surpluses."

The grounds for engagement are starkly different when it comes to the neighboring countries of #Afghanistan.

9⃣ Elaborating further on that, the deputy SG mentioned that in meeting rooms, the international community speaks but not necessarily the neighborhood.

The Envoys Conference is set to change that.

🔟She also mentioned the extensive deliberation that went into deciding if UNAMA must stay in Afg, & told that agreement came about but on condition that assessment of what the mission is achieving has to be more robust.

UNAMA's mandate was extended in March till 17 March 2024.

1⃣1⃣ Speaking of how non-engagement limits int community, Mohammed said that we have no way of confirming claims made by Taliban that they have taken measures to improve women's situation, to cut down corruption.

Engagement will open avenues for holding them accountable.

End.