The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has accepted the credentials from the official of the Taliban-headed interim government in Afghanistan to serve as envoy of the “Islamic Republic of Afghanistan” to Abu Dhabi.
On Wednesday, August 21, Saif Abdulla Alshamisi, assistant undersecretary for protocol affairs at the ministry of foreign affairs (MoFA), received credentials from Maulana Badruddin Haqqani.
Alshamisi congratulated the new envoy on his successful performance and the enhancement of bilateral relations and cooperation between the UAE and his country, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
The newly appointed ambassador expressed his satisfaction in representing his country in the UAE, which holds a prestigious regional and international position under President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s visionary policy.
The Afghan government’s foreign ministry in Kabul confirmed the news of accepting Haqqani’s credentials in a post on X. “The new envoy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will soon present his credentials to the President of the United Arab Emirates during an official ceremony held by the host country.”
Abu Dhabi adopted the term “Islamic Republic of Afghanistan” rather than the existing Kabul government’s “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.”
The UAE has become the second country to accept the credentials of the Afghan envoy, following China in January this year.
The Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in August 2021, but no UN member states have recognized the interim administration.
The UN has declared that formally acknowledging the Taliban government is “almost impossible” due to its restrictions on women and girls.