Afghani Funds: Qatar's Foreign Minister Says That Stabilizing Comes Before Putting Conditions on the Taliban

Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told the Global Security Forum in Doha today, that the Taliban “is a de facto power” in Afghanistan. The issue presently is not recognition of the Taliban, but avoiding the “big mistake” of leaving Afghanis to suffer. “The financial system is totally closed, public servants are not paid, the government’s assets have been frozen without a clear path forward.... We cannot just wait for steps to be taken by the Taliban, and then we react to these steps. I believe the international community has a responsibility to direct those steps and to have a clear roadmap in dealing with the situation.... We need to find a way forward, not to abandon this country—and I think everyone now is in line with that and we are moving forward without talking about the recognition at this state.”