Senior UN Diplomat to Visit Afghanistan Amid Deepening Crises and Stalled Recognition Efforts

KABUL, January 17 – Rosemary DiCarlo, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, will travel to Afghanistan later this month, marking a high-level diplomatic push as the country grapples with intersecting humanitarian, economic, and human rights emergencies.

The visit, confirmed by UN officials on Wednesday, is scheduled for the end of January. It was formally relayed to the Taliban administration by Georgette Gagnon, the Acting Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), in a meeting with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. Gagnon requested the Taliban’s full cooperation to facilitate the mission.

A Dialogue of Mutual Grievances and Necessity

According to a statement from the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the preparatory discussions also covered the recent outcomes of international meetings in Doha. While Taliban officials characterized these talks as “positive,” they pointedly criticized what they described as ongoing UN failures to address two critical issues: securing viable alternative livelihoods for former poppy farmers and unblocking severe banking and financial restrictions.

The UN’s engagement strategy aims to maintain a crucial dialogue with the de facto authorities to advocate for the Afghan people’s welfare and promote global standards. However, this diplomacy operates within a stark political reality: no country has granted formal recognition to the Taliban government since its takeover in August 2021. This non-recognition, driven primarily by the Taliban’s erosion of human rights—particularly those of women and girls—and its intolerance of dissent, has severely limited Afghanistan’s access to the global financial system and official development aid.

A Nation on the Brink

The context for DiCarlo’s visit is one of profound distress. Afghanistan remains one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with over two-thirds of its population in need of assistance. A paralyzing liquidity crisis, frozen foreign reserves, and dysfunctional banking channels have crippled the economy, exacerbating rampant poverty and unemployment.

The collapse of the opium poppy ban—a major Taliban policy initiative—has further destabilized rural communities. Without sustained international investment in agricultural alternatives and economic development, farmers are left without income, deepening food insecurity.

In her meeting, Gagnon acknowledged these challenges, pledging continued UN efforts to work on banking issues and support the creation of alternative livelihoods. Officials from both sides underscored that such collaboration, however complicated, remains essential for any semblance of stability.

Walking a Diplomatic Tightrope

DiCarlo’s trip underscores the UN’s delicate balancing act: providing life-saving aid and engaging pragmatically with the Taliban to mitigate suffering, while simultaneously applying pressure to reverse repressive policies. Key priorities for her discussions are expected to include:

• The urgent escalation of humanitarian assistance for the winter season.

• The immediate reversal of bans on female education and employment, which are seen as fundamental to the country’s recovery and any future normalization.

• Concrete steps to resolve banking paralysis to enable both humanitarian operations and private sector revival.

• Inclusive governance and the protection of fundamental human rights.

The visit represents a critical test of whether sustained, high-level dialogue can yield tangible improvements for the Afghan people, even as the fundamental political impasse over recognition and rights persists. The international community will be watching closely for any signs of progress on these intractable issues.

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