Nikkei Asia, 31 July 2026
In this explainer by the Japanese news agency, AAN’s Kate Clark is quoted in the answer to the question “Is the Taliban becoming internationally accepted?” The agency writes:
Despite the fact that the Taliban are still not recognized by many countries as Afghanistan’s legitimate government, it has steadily expanded its diplomatic engagement. Russia formally recognized the regime in 2025, while China, India, Iran, the U.A.E. and several Central Asian states have deepened diplomatic ties with Kabul. Even the European Union hosted Taliban officials in Brussels last month for technical talks [on deportations of rejected Afghan asylum seekers].
Kate Clark, co-director of the Afghanistan Analysts Network, described this as a “pragmatic approach, particularly when it comes to economics and trade,” which has helped the Taliban expand its diplomatic interactions without formal recognition.
Secondly, she is contributing to the answer on the question “What has changed for ordinary Afghans?”. Speaking on the economic crisis and the dire humanitarian situation, she is quoted as saying:
“The Taliban don’t have the resources. But they also have priorities. They spend half of their budget on security — on police and intelligence. They’ve made choices right from the start not to prioritize health or support to farmers or the sort of development the country needs,” said Clark.
Revisions:
This article was last updated on 4 Aug 2026
