Taliban delegation to visit Norway to discuss humanitarian aid
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Norway confirms that a delegation from the Taliban government will meet Norwegian authorities and officials from several countries in Oslo to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
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The visit will see meetings with Norwegian authorities and officials from Britain, the EU, France, Germany, Italy, and the US.
The Taliban will hold talks with Western officials in Oslo next week on human rights and humanitarian aid in their first official visit to the West since returning to power, the Norwegian and Taliban governments announced Friday.
The visit will see meetings with Norwegian authorities and officials from Britain, the EU, France, Germany, Italy, and the US.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt expressed concern "about the grave situation in Afghanistan, where millions of people are facing a full-blown humanitarian disaster."
Humanitarian crisis, US freezing Afghan assets
The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated drastically since August.
International aid came to a sudden halt and the US has frozen $9.5 billion (8.4 billion euros) in assets in the Afghan central bank.
According to the UN, famine threatens 23 million Afghans or 55% of the population, and $5 billion from donor countries are needed this year to address the humanitarian crisis in the country.
For his part, the Taliban government Spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, told AFP that "this (visit) will open the way for talks, meetings, and understanding with the countries of the EU."
Talks will also take place with representatives of Washington on "pending issues" like the release of the locked funds, he added.
No legitimization or recognition
Stressing that Norway would be "clear about our expectations", particularly on girls' education and human rights, Huitfeldt noted that the meetings would not represent a legitimization or recognition of the Taliban.
"But we must talk to the de facto authorities in the country. We cannot allow the political situation to lead to an even worse humanitarian disaster," Huitfeldt said.
The EU announced on Thursday that it would re-establish a "minimal presence" of its staff in Kabul to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, following its evacuation since the Taliban came to power after the US hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan last August.
