Qatar Elevates Diplomatic Mission in Afghanistan with New Ambassador

DID Press: Qatar’s diplomatic mission in Afghanistan has been elevated with the appointment of Mirdif Al-Qashouti as its new extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador to Kabul.

Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting Foreign Minister of the Taliban, received Al-Qashouti’s credentials on Tuesday, November 25, welcoming him and expressing hope that the upgrade of Qatar’s mission would expand political, economic, and labor cooperation between the two countries.

According to the Taliban Foreign Ministry, Muttaqi described relations between Kabul and Doha as “historic and strategic,” emphasizing that in addition to increasing trade, the process of sending Afghan workers to Qatar should accelerate. He stressed that both sides possess significant potential for cooperation and can effectively leverage existing opportunities.

Al-Qashouti, who previously served as chargé d’affaires at the Qatari embassy in Kabul, stated that political and people-to-people ties between Afghanistan and Qatar are longstanding. He pledged to work actively to strengthen these relations in his new role.

He also noted that Qatar would continue its active mediation policy, seeking to bridge the perspectives of the Taliban and the international community.

Qatar has been one of the Taliban’s most important political partners in recent years—from hosting the Taliban’s political office in Doha in 2013 to facilitating the 2020 Doha Agreement negotiations. Following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, many international meetings on Afghanistan have been held in Doha, and Taliban leaders have made frequent visits to the Qatari capital.