As Afghanistan faces a deep economic crisis, the European Union is taking a pragmatic approach by discreetly increasing negotiations with the Taliban authorities, despite not officially recognizing their regime.
According to an investigation by the New York Times reported by France 24, European governments are discussing sensitive issues with the Taliban such as the deportations of Afghan migrants, diplomatic representation, and economic assistance. Elian Peltier, head of the Pakistan and Afghanistan bureau for the New York Times, emphasizes that “even though on paper European governments do not recognize the Taliban administration, in practice they meet far more frequently than most of us know.”
This situation highlights a fundamental contradiction between the official diplomatic refusal to recognize the Taliban and the political necessity to engage in dialogue to manage migration flows and regional stability.
Forced returns of Afghan migrants from Europe confront a disastrous economic reality in their home country, where they find “very little” to return to, according to collected testimonies. This humanitarian crisis intensifies the complexity of relations between the EU and the Taliban regime, which remains internationally isolated.