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ISLAMABAD —Afghanistan's ruling Taliban confirmed Wednesday that they have formally sought to join the upcoming Russia-hosted summit of the BRICS intergovernmental group of major emerging economies.
The leaders of the 10 members of BRICS, which stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, are set to convene October 22-24 in the southwestern Russian city of Kazan for the meeting. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates joined the bloc this year.
"BRICS is an important economic forum, and as a developing economy, Afghanistan needs to join such economic gatherings," Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy Taliban spokesperson, stated in a video message aired by their official broadcaster.
"The Islamic Emirate is seeking a presence at the upcoming BRICS forum, and the request has been formally communicated to the host nation," Fitrat stated, using the official title of their government in Kabul, which is officially not recognized by any country. He shared no further details.
There has been no immediate Russian response to the Taliban's assertion.
Moscow has developed close informal ties with the de facto Afghan leaders since they retook control of the conflict-ravaged nation three years ago, when the United States-led Western countries withdrew their troops after almost two decades of war with the then-insurgent Taliban.
However, Russia has not recognized the Taliban as a legitimate government in alignment with the global consensus on the issue of recognition. Taliban delegations have repeatedly visited Moscow in recent months for bilateral economic and trade discussions.
The Russian foreign and justice ministries submitted a proposal to President Vladimir Putin in June to remove the radical Afghan group from Russia's list of designated terrorist organizations. The move prompted speculations that Moscow has come closer to officially recognizing the de facto Kabul authorities.
The Taliban have been on Russia's list of transnational militant groups, which includes al-Qaida, since 2003.
The de facto Afghan leaders have implemented their strict interpretation of Islamic law, known as sharia, in the impoverished South Asian nation, prohibiting Afghan girls from attending schools beyond the sixth grade, suspending female students from universities, barring women from most workplaces, and banning music.
The Taliban also have introduced stoning and public executions of women for crimes such as adultery.
The U.N. and other nations
The international community, including the United Nations, has consistently called for the urgent reversal of restrictions on women before considering granting diplomatic legitimacy to the Taliban regime.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a meeting on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly this week that the Taliban's treatment of women can be compared to "some of the most egregious systems of oppression in recent history."
"We will continue to amplify the voices of Afghan women and call for them to play a full role in the country's life, both inside its borders and on the global stage," he said.
U.N. officials maintain that last month's enactment of a morality law by the Taliban has made it even more challenging to recognize Kabul rulers.
Taliban leaders reject criticism of their governance, saying it is aligned with local culture and sharia.
"It means that one of the major obstacles to Afghanistan's full reintegration into the international community cannot be part of a necessary dialogue," Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, told a Security Council meeting last week.
China and the Taliban
China has also ramped up its political and economic ties with Kabul and is one of two countries, along with the United Arab Emirates, that have formally accepted a Taliban-appointed ambassador.
On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a news conference that Beijing expects the Taliban to "look at the legitimate concerns" of the global community.
"That said, women's rights and interests are not the entirety of the Afghan issue, nor the core or root cause of the issue," Lin said. He referenced the U.N. estimates stating that almost 24 million people in Afghanistan need humanitarian assistance, with more than half of them battling severe food insecurity.
"The international community needs to focus on the most pressing difficulties Afghanistan faces, promote the rebuilding and development in Afghanistan ... and at the same time encourage, in the spirit of equality and respect, the governing authorities of Afghanistan to improve and strengthen protection of women and children's rights," Lin stated.
Chinese companies have signed several agreements with the Taliban to enhance economic and trade cooperation, focusing mainly on the Afghan mining sector.
Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi told a news conference in Kabul last week that his government controlled about 40 Afghan embassies and consulates worldwide, and that its diplomatic relations with the international community were improving. He stated that the Taliban are keen to develop "friendly" ties with Western nations.
The U.S. and the West at large insist that formal recognition of the Taliban depends on their actions regarding women's rights, education for girls and women and freedom of movement.