The Taliban’s acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, has called for strengthened diplomatic relations with Qatar during a meeting with the country’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi.

The meeting took place amid ongoing efforts by the Taliban to broaden international engagement, despite the group still lacking formal recognition from the majority of governments worldwide.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two officials discussed bilateral relations, regional developments, and the expansion of cooperation in areas such as culture, health, and sport.

The Taliban reported that Al-Khulaifi pledged greater cooperation and indicated that the Qatari government would help facilitate employment opportunities for Afghan workers in the Gulf state.

Muttaqi described the relationship between the Taliban and Qatar as “positive” and expressed hope for stronger diplomatic engagement in the near future. Al-Khulaifi likewise characterised the relationship as close, highlighting the need for broader collaboration across multiple sectors.

Both parties agreed to enhance institutional engagement and hold more frequent meetings to advance mutual cooperation, according to the statement.

Qatar has maintained close contact with the Taliban for years and played a pivotal role in their return to power in 2021. While Doha continues to operate its embassy in Kabul and hosts a Taliban political office in its capital, it has yet to formally recognise the Taliban government. Qatar’s support has remained limited to humanitarian aid.

The Taliban have repeatedly expressed interest in facilitating the deployment of Afghan workers to Gulf nations. However, countries in the region, which rely heavily on foreign labour, particularly from India and Pakistan have yet to respond favourably to these offers.