Norway envoy meets Afghanistan foreign minister over regional cooperation

Norway envoy meets Afghanistan foreign minister over regional cooperation
Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi meets Norway’s newly appointed special envoy for Afghanistan, Bjørn Hansen, 12 May, 2026
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has met Norway’s newly appointed special envoy for Afghanistan, Bjørn Hansen, to discuss political and regional issues, the Foreign Ministry said.

The meeting comes as Kabul continues efforts to expand engagement with countries in Europe and the wider international community.

According to a statement from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hansen spoke about Norway’s long-standing relations with Afghanistan and its role in supporting stability in the country.

The ministry said Hansen stated that “Norway has historic relations with Afghanistan and has always sought to play a constructive role in Afghanistan’s stability.”

The statement added that Hansen noted “significant achievements have been observed in Afghanistan in the areas of security, the fight against narcotics, and some other sectors.”

According to the ministry, Hansen also said there was a need “to pave the way for greater cooperation through the normalisation of relations with the international community.”

Muttaqi calls for broader cooperation

Muttaqi thanked Norway for its ties and cooperation with Afghanistan before and after 2021, according to the Foreign Ministry.

The statement said the foreign minister also called for the current stability in Afghanistan to be used to expand cooperation.

The ministry quoted Muttaqi as saying that “the stability achieved in Afghanistan should be fully utilised, and that the progress made by the Afghan government should help pave the way for broader cooperation.”

EU technical talks on Afghan migrants

The meeting comes after a report by Agence France-Presse that the European Commission has confirmed it will soon invite officials from Kabul to Brussels for technical talks on the return of Afghan migrants.

AFP reported that no date has yet been announced for the meeting, which European officials have described as technical rather than political.

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