As of January 2022, no country has formally recognized the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan as the legitimate successor to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

In August 2021, the Taliban took control of Afghanistan once again. It marked the end of 20 years of relatively democratic governance in Afghanistan. Since then, the Taliban have portrayed their government as legitimate in hopes of attracting international recognition and occupying Afghanistan’s seat in the United Nations.

In September 2021, the Taliban announced an interim government and tried to propagate a different image to the international community, claiming that they have changed in terms of their governance approach. They opened talks with several different heads of states. However, the Taliban have serious legitimacy predicaments both internally and externally. Internally, the Taliban have faced different waves of protests and resistance across the country, showing nationwide resentment to their rule. Externally, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution in March 2020, declaring that they would neither recognize nor “support the restoration of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.” This was reinforced by another resolution in August 2021 demanding an inclusive government and respect for human rights. All member of the UNSC as well as other states in different venues and meetings despite pledging to provide humanitarian aid have repeatedly vowed not to recognize the Taliban’s control of Afghanistan. This includes states which have conventionally or just recently, plainly or tacitly, supported the Taliban, including Pakistan, China, Russia, Iran, and Qatar.

A possible recognition of the Taliban by the United Nations and other states would not only undermine some important principles of international law, but it would also have serious domestic and international implications. While the Taliban’s recognition would domestically undermine the right to self-determination of Afghans which is enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations it would internationally embolden other terrorist organizations across the globe to topple governments and then demand international recognition as the legitimate government of the states they’d seized.

Do the Taliban Meet International Law Requirements for Recognition?


The Taliban have claimed that because it has the control of “all borders, territory and major cities of Afghanistan,” and has formed “the government of people,” the group deserves an international recognition and Afghanistan’s seat in the U.N. The problem with this argument is two-fold: first, the effective control doctrine is neither sufficient nor even the principal condition for recognition or obtaining a seat in the U.N. Traditionally, international recognition requires meeting four conditions by a new government: (1) effective control; (2) popular support and domestic legitimacy; (3) permanency and stability; and (4) ability and willingness to fulfill international obligations. Secondly, the Taliban fall way short of internal legitimacy by any metri

International law and practice have increasingly emphasized legitimacy of governments whether through elections, referendums, or some sort of public engagement. For instance, in 2013 when the Egyptian defense minister declared the end of the Mohamed Morsi government, the international community conditioned their recognition of any new government on holding immediate parliamentary elections. In 1974, the U.N. General Assembly practically suspended the representation of South Africa by its government due to its apartheid policies until the first democratic election was held in 1994.

The Taliban seized Afghanistan by force and have begun to ensure their control, not through elections or any similar means, but through extrajudicial killing, mass eviction of minorities, and torturing any dissident. Just a day after the seizure of Kabul by the Taliban, all members of the U.N. Security Council agreed that recognizing a government imposed by force was not an option since it would only encourage violent takeovers and toppling of legitimate regimes elsewhere. By any standard, the Taliban’s takeover has been more violent than the coup in Egypt and their governance has been as, if not more, violent than apartheid South Africa.

The Taliban did not hold any elections or referendums or even a Loya Jirga (a grand assembly traditionally used in Afghanistan to elect governments and ratify constitutions) to allow Afghans to voice their opinions about their government. The Taliban have repeatedly declared that they would not hold elections to form a government. Instead, the Taliban introduced a cabinet that is all-male, almost entirely ethno-religiously exclusive, and with U.N. listed-terrorists as ministers. Instead of recognizing the role of the women in government and society, the Taliban simply removed the Ministry of Women and replaced it with the Ministry of Amr Bil Maruf, which conducts religious and moral policing. The Taliban have continued killing former government employees and committing the crime of ethnic cleansing by forcing mass evacuation of mainly Hazaras — but also members of other groups — from their villages and towns in several provinces of Afghanistan.

The pen (diplomacy) will always be mightier than the sword (war mongering and violent takeover of aborigines land).

The sword has failed again and it will always fail no matter how beautifully disguised.

Taliban is known to be the benefactor and foundation stone of all terrorist organisations in the world since the early 90s.

All other dissident groups look up to them as their mentor.

They should not be allowed or recognised until an election or referendum is conducted

This is a lesson for IPOB.

Taliban leaders are coupists. If they want to be recognised, they should organize election and hold referendum for review of constitution.

AVECDEO:
The pen (diplomacy) will always be mightier than the sword (war mongering and violent takeover of aborigines land).

The sword has failed again and it will always fail no matter how beautifully disguised.

Taliban is known to be the benefactor and foundation stone of all terrorist organisations in the world since the early 90s.

All other dissident groups look up to them as their mentor.

They should not be allowed or recognised until an election or referendum is conducted

I concur, they are bunch of cut-throats

Asquare84:
This is a lesson for IPOB.

it is, hopefully they will learn from this

joyandfaith:
Taliban leaders are coupists. If they want to be recognised, they should organize election and hold referendum for review of constitution.

exactly, they should stop their ruthlessness

God1000:
it is, hopefully they will learn from this

What's there to learn? I'm not Igbo but those guys have the support of their people. In the scenario that they manage to defeat Nigeria government and rid them off all Igbolands, you can be rest assured that they will vote overwhelmingly for Kanu to lead them if need be. That is the legitimacy from the people the Taliban does not have which the United Nation is talking about.

Didn't Chona recognise them?