What does UAE's acceptance of Taliban ambassador mean?

The United Arab Emirates has accepted the credentials of the Taliban’s ambassador to the Gulf state, the biggest diplomatic win for Afghanistan’s administration, which has not been recognised as the country’s legitimate government by many countries.

The development comes after the first Taliban ambassador was appointed to China last December.

The fact that several countries, including the United States, do not see the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan underscores the international divide over how to deal with the interim government in Kabul.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul confirmed the news about Badruddin Haqqani in a post on the social media platform X.

Even though the Taliban remain isolated from the West, they have pursued bilateral ties with major regional powers.

Last week, Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov visited Afghanistan. It was the first visit by a high-ranking foreign official since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan three years ago.

Since reclaiming power in August 2021, the Taliban have steadily established control over many Afghan diplomatic missions, primarily in neighbouring countries.

The group now oversees embassies in at least 14 countries, including Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

Diplomatic recognition

Some countries, including Russia, China and Iran, have maintained their embassies in Kabul.

In January, Chinese President Xi Jinping accepted ambassador credentials from the representative of Afghanistan which was the first official recognition.

Xi welcomed Asadullah Bilal Karimi, the Taliban-appointed Afghan ambassador, in a formal ceremony at the Great Hall of the People.

International legal experts say such diplomatic recognition does not necessarily give a nod to the Taliban's political system and its policies.

However, formally accepting diplomatic credentials can be seen as a step towards normalising diplomatic ties and official recognition.

In 1996, when the Taliban first took over Afghanistan, only three countries, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and UAE, fully recognised the Taliban government and maintained diplomatic ties with them.

While the geo-political scenario has changed since 1996, the Taliban is gearing up to clear hurdles in its formal recognition with diplomatic activity in the Middle East and Central Asia.