KABUL, Afghanistan — The European Union’s Chargé d’Affaires in Afghanistan, Raffaella Iodice, will conclude her two-year mission next week, according to sources.
Although the European Union has not officially announced her departure, it has been confirmed that Veronika Bošković Pohar, a diplomat from Slovenia, will succeed her as the new Chargé d’Affaires.
Iodice’s mission is set to end on August 28. On Wednesday, she met with Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, where she formally announced the conclusion of her assignment in Afghanistan. During the meeting, Iodice stated that she would travel to Doha after completing her mission to engage in discussions about Afghanistan with ambassadors and diplomats from various countries. She also plans to hold further talks with senior European officials at the EU headquarters.
As the EU’s only senior female diplomat in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s takeover, Iodice played a crucial role in maintaining dialogue with Taliban officials, consistently emphasizing the importance of principled support for the Afghan people. Her focus was particularly on humanitarian challenges and the critical issue of education under Taliban rule.
Throughout her tenure, Iodice strongly advocated for the participation of women in Afghanistan’s future, stressing the need for sustainable development, political and economic stability, and continued international support for Afghanistan’s most vulnerable citizens. She also highlighted the importance of girls’ education, media freedom, and the inclusion of women in political and social spheres.
Despite her efforts, the Taliban have continued to resist international calls to reopen schools for girls above grade six and to lift the ban on women attending universities and working at NGOs. The persistent challenges facing Afghan women and girls under Taliban rule underscore the difficulty of effecting change through diplomatic engagement alone.
Veronika Bošković Pohar is expected to assume her role as the new EU Chargé d’Affaires in Afghanistan, where she will likely continue the EU’s focus on education, humanitarian assistance, and advocating for women’s participation in public life.
