Two years after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, a former Canadian ambassador to the country, Arif Lalani, is advocating for the reestablishment of a diplomatic presence in Kabul. Lalani believes that Canada should never have left Afghanistan and that being on the ground could help moderate the extreme tendencies of the Taliban.
Lalani served as Canada’s ambassador to Afghanistan from 2007 to 2008 and holds fellowships from various institutions, including the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.
Canada, like other nations, evacuated its embassy in August 2021 as the Taliban advanced on Kabul. Since then, the embassy has remained closed, and Canada has not recognized the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan due to the group’s status as a listed terrorist entity under Canadian law.
Lalani contends that leaving Afghanistan before reestablishing diplomatic relations was not a sound strategy and urges Canada to return to the country to ensure its security interests and to bear witness to the situation on the ground.
He expresses concern about the rights of Afghan women and girls, which have eroded significantly under the Taliban’s rule. He believes that Canada’s lack of immediate action has resulted in abandoning and condemning generations of Afghan girls to limited education and opportunities.
In response to the Taliban’s two-year reign, the Canadian ministers of foreign affairs, international development, and immigration reiterated Canada’s commitment to providing humanitarian aid and resettling vulnerable Afghans. They also pledged to advance women’s rights, highlight human rights violations committed by the Taliban, and advocate for a strong international response to these issues.
Lalani proposes that Canada could have a more substantial impact on Afghans by establishing diplomatic ties with the Taliban government and using humanitarian assistance as leverage. He acknowledges the challenges and complexities of the situation in Afghanistan but emphasizes the need for Canada to make tough decisions and actively engage with the country.