The European Union has announced the appointment of Nicola Bellomo, an Italian diplomat and former senior official responsible for African affairs, as the new Chargé d’Affaires of the EU Delegation for Afghanistan. The appointment comes as part of the EU’s ongoing policy of maintaining a reduced level of formal diplomatic engagement with Kabul following the political developments that have unfolded in Afghanistan in recent years.
In a statement issued by the European External Action Service, the EU unveiled a new list of ambassadors and representatives, which includes Nicola Bellomo as the bloc’s newly designated official for Afghanistan. The statement highlights his role in overseeing diplomatic communications and coordinating EU-related programs and initiatives concerning Afghanistan.
Prior to this appointment, Bellomo served as the EU Ambassador to Rwanda and currently heads the African Affairs Department within the European External Action Service. He will now assume responsibility for the Afghanistan portfolio at the level of Chargé d’Affaires.
Following the collapse of the former Afghan Republic and the return of the Taliban to power in 2021, the European Union significantly downgraded its diplomatic presence in Afghanistan. Rather than appointing an ambassador, the EU has continued to manage its affairs in the country through a Chargé d’Affaires, a policy that remains an integral part of its official approach toward Afghanistan.
At present, Veronika Boskovic Pohar, a Slovenian diplomat, serves as the Acting Chargé d’Affaires of the EU Delegation to Afghanistan, overseeing the coordination of the Union’s relations and programs in the country. Meanwhile, the European Union has reiterated that its limited engagement with Afghanistan will continue. However, criticism persists regarding the absence of a comprehensive strategy and the continued reduction of the EU’s diplomatic footprint in Kabul.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
