Diplomacy: Document of Afghan Representation in the United States

Diplomacy
Closure of Afghan missions in the United States

According to information from diplomatic circles, the country’s representations in the United States are closing seven months after the Taliban again seized power in Afghanistan.

An Afghan diplomat, who asked not to be named, told dpa in Washington that the embassy in Washington and the consulates in New York and Los Angeles would halt operations on Wednesday. “Lack of resources” is one of the reasons for the closure. He did not wish to provide any further details. The diplomats were appointed by the government in Kabul, which was ousted by the Taliban last August. She hasn’t received any money in months.

The Afghan diplomat said efforts have been made to continue operations to the end. A message was last posted on the Washington embassy’s Twitter account on December 30. “Without funding from any source, we are working hard to keep the embassy open and continue to provide our services. We still hope that one day Afghanistan will achieve sustainable peace,” she said.

Last Friday, The New York Times reported, citing US State Department sources, that after the missions were closed, Afghan diplomats would have 30 days to apply for additional residency in the US before being deported. They will not be sent back to Afghanistan because of the danger. But it is not clear where the diplomats would go otherwise. About a quarter of the approximately 100 Afghan diplomats in the United States have not applied for residency in the United States.

dpa