Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot confirmed on Monday that Belgium has issued single-day visas to a five-member Taliban delegation, allowing them to attend migration and repatriation talks with the European Union. The technical-level meetings, scheduled to begin in Brussels on Tuesday, focus on the return of Afghan asylum-seekers whose applications have been rejected by EU member states.
The European Commission, in coordination with Sweden, extended the invitation to discuss practical cooperation mechanisms, including identifying Afghan nationals without the legal right to stay in Europe and issuing travel documents. EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner defended the decision, stating that European nations have “no option but to talk” to the de facto authorities to manage irregular migration and facilitate necessary deportations.
The move has generated sharp political friction. While Minister Prévot publicly opposed the European Commission’s decision to invite the Taliban, he noted that Belgium is legally bound by host-country agreements to grant access to representatives invited by EU institutions.
Human rights organizations and 47 Members of the European Parliament have condemned the decision, warning that the engagement risks politically legitimizing the Taliban regime despite its severe, ongoing restrictions on human rights and women’s freedoms.
