“These people have already been here.” Kazakhstan’s MFA explains why it has invited the Taliban to Astana

Kazakhstan has invited representatives of the Taliban movement to take part in the international economic forum in Astana to kick off the trade and economic cooperation, according to Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko. As the official noted, Kazakhstan is interested in the stabilization of the situation in Afghanistan and its development, although there are some concerns over the rights of women and ethnic minorities in this country.

The official also reminded the public that a trade mission of the Taliban already visited Kazakhstan last year.

«Indeed, we have invited the executive minister of trade of Afghanistan to take part in the Astana International Forum that will held on June 13-14 this year in our capital city. There are no UN sanctions against this Afghani official. He already was in Kazakhstan in August last year, when 200 Afghani officials and businessmen came to Astana on a trade mission. I mean, these people have already been here,» Vassilenko commented on the news on the sidelines of the Senate.

Even though there are many questions to the Taliban over their commitment to respect the rights of women and ethnic minorities, it is the de facto government of Afghanistan and the international community is «trying to find a way to communicate with it» after NATO left the country.

«Afghanistan is the regional neighbor of Central Asia and this interaction currently serves our interests… Neither the UN and the Security Council nor the international community have recognized this government. It is still unclear how to interact with them. However, this country is our regional neighbor, and this is why many countries of the region such as Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, China, Russia, Pakistan and some other countries are trying to build relations with them,» the deputy foreign minister said.

The context. In 2005, the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan designated the Taliban as a terrorist organization and prohibited its activity within the country. The Taliban is also prohibited in other CSTO member states: Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.

In August 2021, when President Ashraf Ghani left Afghanistan and the Taliban movement seized power, Kazakhstan’s government said that it would keep an eye on the situation in this country, refusing to recognize the movement.

In April 2023, Kazakhstan allowed representatives of the Taliban to occupy the Afghani Embassy in Astana. At the time, the country’s MFA said that Kazakhstan wasn’t developing political relations with the Talibs, complying with UN policy. However, the country wants to expand its trade and economic relations with Afghanistan and is ready to provide the Afghani people with humanitarian aid.

In August 2023, Kazakhstan’s MFA said that the country wouldn’t change the official status of the Taliban as a prohibited organization.

However, in late December 2023, the government changed its mind and decided to remove the Taliban from the list of prohibited entities, citing the fact that the UN does not consider the movement a terrorist organization.