Saudi Arabia Resumes Embassy Activities in Kabul After Three-Year Hiatus
On Sunday, Saudi Arabia announced the resumption of activities at its embassy in Kabul, marking a significant shift in its diplomatic approach towards Afghanistan. The decision comes more than three years after Saudi Arabia withdrew its diplomats following the Taliban’s takeover of the country in August 2021.
The Saudi Embassy in Kabul confirmed the resumption on social media, stating, “Based on the desire of the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to provide all services to the brotherly Afghan people, it has been decided to resume the activities of the mission of the Kingdom in Kabul starting on December 22.”
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While the embassy did not clarify the level of Saudi representation in Kabul, it marks a step towards re-engagement with Afghanistan, which had been cut off during the Taliban’s return to power. Saudi Arabia initially pulled its diplomats due to the “unstable situation” created by the Taliban’s resurgence. However, in November 2021, Riyadh resumed consular services and continued providing humanitarian aid through its KSRelief organization.
In a broader regional context, Russia recently took a step towards recognizing the Taliban government by passing a law that could remove the group from its list of banned terrorist organizations. Despite these movements, no country has yet officially recognized the Taliban government.
The resumption of Saudi embassy activities reflects a growing diplomatic reassessment in the region, as countries explore avenues to engage with Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
