The UAE has accepted the credentials of an ambassador from Afghanistan’s Taliban government, officials said, becoming just the second country after China to do so.
The Kabul foreign ministry announced on social media that new ambassador Mawlawi Badruddin Haqqani had been received in a ceremony in Abu Dhabi.
Despite its rivalry with the Taliban, the US held back from criticising the move, saying it will not affect Washington’s relations with the UAE.
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The UAE’s growing ties with Afghanistan include the management of its airports by an Emirati firm, GAAC, following the withdrawal of US forces and the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
The ambassador’s acceptance will be seen as a victory by the Taliban authorities, who remain largely isolated internationally and unrecognised by the UN, partly for denying girls access to secondary education.
“The world recognises the challenges faced by Afghanistan over the past few years,” an Emirati official said in a statement sent to AFP late on Thursday.
“The decision to accept the credentials of the ambassador of Afghanistan reaffirms our determination to contribute to building bridges to help the people of Afghanistan.”
The UAE plans to provide “humanitarian assistance through development and reconstruction projects” and support efforts towards “regional de-escalation and stability”, the statement said.
Last week, President Sheikh Mohamed visited Afghanistan’s prime minister, Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, as he received treatment in a UAE hospital.
What US says
Responding to the announcement, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Friday that it “isn’t going to change our relationship with the UAE”.
“Every country has to decide for itself what its diplomatic relationships are going to look like, and who they’re going to recognise,” Kirby told reporters.
The UAE was one of just three countries along with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to recognise the previous Taliban government, which was toppled in the US-led invasion of 2001.
It is one of a handful of nations to host a Taliban diplomatic presence, including Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. Nicaragua appointed a non-resident ambassador to Afghanistan in June.