Taliban at a closed-door mootin Geneva, aid on agenda

KABUL (Khaama Press): A Taliban delegation has traveled to Switzerland and is busy talking with international organizations and foreign officials over international aid to Afghanistan. The Taliban delegation is supposed to meet with Red Cross, Swiss, and European officials.
This is the second visit of the Taliban to a European country after they gained control over Afghanistan last year. Swiss Foreign Ministry has insisted that the visit of the Taliban to the country does not mean recognition.
Meanwhile, sources in the Taliban-run government said that the delegation is led by Lutfullah Hakimi-head of the purification commission of the Taliban- and is in the country for the past five days. The closed-door conference which will continue through February 11, is hosted by Geneva Call, a foundation that works to protect civilians during conflict.
The Geneva call invited the Taliban to discuss the status of humanitarian assistance, the protection of civilians, respect for health care, and the issue of land mines and remnants of war. “The country is facing a complex emergency due to past overlapping armed conflicts, COVID-19 and its socio-economic consequences, and extreme weather. Today, 23 million Afghan people are at risk of malnutrition and 97 percent of the population lives under the poverty level.” Reads the statement of Geneva call. As per AFP, the Taliban delegation is supposed to meet with a different divisions of the Swiss Foreign Ministry.