Afghan participants at forum in Doha voiced support for dialogue: US Special Envoy

DOHA (Khaama Press): US Special Representative for Afghanistan, Thomas West, said, “Every Afghan participant at Afghan Future Thought Forum in Doha voiced support for dialogue and opposition to armed conflict as a solution to the country’s challenges.”
US special envoy Thomas West tweeted that he attended the Afghan Future Thought Forum’s gathering in Doha with heads of mission of key allies and partners. The participants spoke out in favour of dialogue and against using violence to resolve the country’s challenges.
“I heard both condemnation and support for Taliban conduct and different recommendations for how the international community should address challenges, “ West said, adding, “Every Afghan participant spoke out in favour of dialogue and against using violence to resolve the country’s problems.”
A broad group of Afghan men and women, economists, human rights advocates, former ministers, and Afghan elders, including Taliban members, came from Afghanistan to participate in the Forum.
The Afghanistan Future Thought Forum (AFTF), which describes itself as an independent, non-partisan initiative with “Taliban participants,” said in a statement that it has looked at the main opportunities and challenges that the Afghan people face and has presented its solution to both the de facto government and the international community.
On January 23–25, 2023, the Fifth Session of the Forum on the Situation in Afghanistan was held in Doha. The Taliban authorities were urged to lift their restrictions on women’s employment and education.
The AFTF has thirty members, which include former government employees, Taliban officials, representatives of civil society and academicians.
Meanwhile, Thomas West admired Fatima Gailani’s leadership of this initiative and hoped its participants would carry their messages to the Taliban, other Afghan leaders, and key international stakeholders.