UN Chief, Envoys To Hold Key Talks On Afghanistan Crisis

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (file photo)

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will gather international envoys at a secret location in Doha on May 1 in a bid to find ways to influence Afghanistan's Taliban rulers. The United Nations considers Afghanistan to be the world's biggest humanitarian crisis, and Guterres's quandary has been deepened by the Taliban administration's move to stop girls going to school and most women from working, even for UN agencies. The Taliban government, which reclaimed power in August 2021, will be absent from the talks, which will involve representatives from about 25 countries and international organizations, according to diplomats.