Taliban say that Robert Dickson, Britain’s chargé d’affaires for Afghanistan, met on Friday in Kabul with Abdul Kabir, the Taliban’s acting minister for refugees, and reaffirmed London’s commitment to continue humanitarian support to Afghanistan and maintain contacts with them.
According to a statement from the Taliban, Dickson told Taliban officials that the United Kingdom had allocated 1.1 billion Afghanis (approximately $15 million) in aid for Afghan returnees, to be distributed through United Nations agencies. He also expressed Britain’s intention to maintain open lines of communication with the Taliban, despite the lack of formal diplomatic recognition.
The meeting, held amid a sharp uptick in migrant deportations from neighboring Iran, focused on the growing needs of returning Afghan nationals. Kabir urged Britain to assist in building housing settlements for returnees, warning that without such support, many would again be forced to migrate.
He also emphasized that humanitarian assistance should not be politicized and pressed the UK and other Western countries to end delays in recognizing the Taliban-led administration. “We have addressed many of the world’s concerns,” Kabir said, according to the Taliban statement. “It is time for Western nations, especially Britain, to move forward on recognition.”
Dickson reportedly said international concerns, including on rights and governance, should be addressed through dialogue, and he emphasized a diplomatic approach to resolving differences.
The UK does not officially recognize the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan, but it has maintained limited engagement through its diplomatic mission based in Doha. British officials have repeatedly underscored that any normalization of ties depends on improvements in human rights, particularly the rights of women and girls.
