Moldova’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Monday that it had issued visas to members of a delegation from the Taliban’s Ministry of Agriculture, but stressed that the move does not, under any circumstances, constitute recognition of the Taliban administration. The ministry also said that Moldovan officials will not hold any official or bilateral meetings with members of the delegation.
In a statement, the ministry said the visit was arranged following discussions with several Moldovan companies operating in the agricultural sector regarding the possibility of delivering food assistance to Afghanistan. According to the ministry, the purpose of the visit is to explore issues related to technical cooperation in the agricultural sector.
The statement noted that the members of the Taliban’s Ministry of Agriculture delegation are not subject to international sanctions. However, Moldova remains fully committed to all international sanctions imposed on the Taliban and has not changed its position of not recognizing the group’s administration.
Meanwhile, the Taliban’s Ministry of Agriculture said that a delegation led by Mawlawi Sadr Azam Osmani, the ministry’s deputy minister, had traveled to Moldova at the invitation of the country’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry. According to the ministry, the visit is scheduled to take place from August 2 to August 7.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Agriculture said the agenda includes expanding cooperation in plant protection, pest management, agricultural research, modern agricultural technologies, commercial orchard management, and scientific and technical collaboration. Members of the delegation are also expected to hold technical meetings with officials from Moldova’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry.
Moldova is an Eastern European country situated between Romania and Ukraine, with its capital in Chișinău. It has a population of approximately 2.5 million and gained independence following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Moldova is an official candidate for membership in the European Union and formally launched accession negotiations with the bloc in 2024.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
