Switzerland returns to Afghanistan with opening of aid office in Kabul

Yasamin Wed Aug 2025 3 months ago 385

This office, part of the Swiss Foreign Ministry’s Department of Development and Humanitarian Cooperation, resumed its activities in March of this year, and Switzerland has now become the first European country to re-establish a presence in Kabul.


The reputable newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung reported that the office is managed by Eric Markli, a Swiss diplomat. In an interview with the outlet, he emphasized that the best way to support the Afghan people is through a direct presence in the country. According to him, the Kabul office currently operates with five Swiss staff members and ten Afghan employees, including three women.


Markli clarified that the office’s focus is solely on humanitarian aid, and there must be a clear distinction between politics and relief efforts. He added: “The reopening of this office has yielded positive results, and our presence is the best way to support the Afghan people.”


The media outlet noted that the Taliban have also accepted the participation of Afghan women in this office. Support for women and girls has been highlighted as a key priority of Switzerland’s programs. Currently, the country supports around 140 women’s organizations in Afghanistan, which focus on aiding victims of violence and promoting the sale of women’s handicrafts.


On the other hand, last week, a Taliban delegation traveled to Geneva at the invitation of the Swiss government to review the status of 13 Afghan asylum seekers. Of these, eleven have been convicted of various crimes and are slated for deportation from Switzerland.


This cooperation has drawn criticism from refugee rights organizations, who view it as a form of legitimizing the Taliban. In contrast, some conservative Swiss politicians hope this engagement will facilitate the deportation of asylum seekers.


These developments come as the Taliban have made extensive efforts in recent months to engage with Western countries and gain international legitimacy.

Swiss media have reported that the government of Switzerland has resumed its official presence in Afghanistan under Taliban rule by establishing a relief office in Kabul, after a four-year absence.

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