Taliban officials held a “fruitful” dialogue with the US in which Washington urged Afghanistan's rulers to reverse many of its policies towards women and children, the two sides said on Monday.
It took place in Qatar where US special representative Thomas West and special envoy for Afghan women, girls and human rights, Rina Amiri, met senior Taliban officials including from the central bank and Ministry of Finance.
“US officials urged the Taliban to reverse policies responsible for the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan, particularly for women, girls and vulnerable communities,” the State Department said.
“The United States expressed support for the Afghan people’s demands for their rights to be respected and for their voices to shape the future of the country.”
Taliban political chief Suhail Shaheen said the meeting was productive and indicated that more talks would occur.
We “had fruitful discussions” over two days and “both sides emphasised the need to have such meetings in future as well", Mr Shaheen wrote on Twitter.
The Taliban stormed back to power in August 2021 during the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The US and its allies were in a grinding conflict with the Taliban since late 2001 in what was often referred to as America’s “forever war".
The militant group quickly reversed 20 years of US-aided progress across a wide range of social issues particularly pertaining to women and girls.
Since returning to power, the Taliban have barred women from attending university and girls have been barred from secondary education, in a massive blow to America's legacy in the country.
The State Department said the two sides also discussed the “state of the Afghan economy and the challenges that the banking sector faces".
Mr West described the meeting as "detailed" and "candid". He said on Twitter that dialogue "needs to continue, in support of the Afghan people and to protect interests”.
The Taliban have called on Washington to return $3.5 billion belonging to Afghanistan's central bank after a New York federal judge ruled the families of victims in the 9/11 attacks cannot seize the funds.
The money had been held to compensate victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks that were planned by Al Qaeda in Afghanistan while the Taliban were in power.
The country’s economy is expected to contract in 2023 after a 30 per cent drop in foreign aid.
Washington said it would be open “to a technical dialogue regarding economic stabilisation issues” in the future.
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Roll of honour: Who won what in 2018/19?
West Asia Premiership: Winners – Bahrain; Runners-up – Dubai Exiles
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UAE Conference: Winners – Dubai Tigers; Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
