Taliban diplomacy necessary, but with strong conditions

Australia is being advised to engage diplomatically with the Taliban, although it should not be seen as legitimising the terror group. The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in 2021, following the withdrawal of U.S. troops. Sami Omari, a geopolitical strategist, emphasised the importance of relationships with the Afghan government, whose citizens are suffering innocently.

Mr Omari argued that diplomacy with the Taliban might be necessary, as Afghanistan cannot be isolated from the world. Ordinary Afghans should not suffer due to the actions of the people governing them. However, Mr Omari cautioned that a diplomatic relationship should not degenerate into legitimisation of the group's governance, which he fears is happening globally.

There should be no assumption that contact equals legitimacy, he stressed. Recent trips by Taliban officials to Belgium and Germany without sanctions have alarmed him about European countries providing legitimacy to a terrorist organisation in power. Mr Omari recommended strict conditions to guide Australia's diplomatic approach.

Women's rights and girls' education must remain the primary and central issues in every meeting, he said. Any diplomatic concession should be tied to verifiable improvements, including on women's rights, education, counter-terrorism commitments, and an inclusive government. Mr Omari urged Australia to support independent Afghan media, ideally inside the country.

He himself fled Afghanistan after a car attack on him, his wife, and two young children. Mr Omari urged the world to keep reporting, talking, and questioning Afghanistan, but not to let silence become acceptance of the Taliban's rule. He concluded by reminding that Australia's responsibility does not end with the war, as it did in 2021.