Kabul – Switzerland has opened an office in Kabul to handle humanitarian aid, in a major step that would signify a new phase in the Western involvement in Afghanistan. It is the first Western nation to resume a permanent on-the-ground presence in the Afghan capital since the Taliban seized power in August 2021.

The Swiss presence, which began in March after a four-year absence, is part of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) under the country’s Foreign Ministry, as reported by Swiss media outlet Neue Zürcher Zeitung.

Mandate of the Swiss Agency

The SDC, being an international cooperation agency in Switzerland, has a wide range of mandates that go beyond the plain distribution of aid. Its goal is to reduce hardship and poverty in the world, advance democracy and human rights, and encourage the peaceful coexistence of the nations. This is done in the form of different types of development cooperation such as humanitarian aid, long-term development projects, and cooperation with Eastern European states.

The SDC pays special attention to such aspects in its development work, like poverty elimination, environmental conservation, economic self-sufficiency, and enhancing access to education and primary healthcare services. The agency also participates in global issues such as climate change, food and water crisis, and migration. This broader context gives meaning to the Kabul office mission, which is not necessarily to merely offer immediate relief, but also to contribute to the long-term stability and better the livelihoods of the locals.

Functioning of the New Swiss Office

Swiss diplomat Eric Marclay heads the new office, which has five Swiss and 10 Afghan staff. It is interesting to note that three out of the Afghan employees are women, and the Taliban have allowed them to be employed. In an interview with the newspaper, Marclay pointed out that the best means of assisting the Afghanistan people is through a physical presence.

“The best way to support Afghans is by maintaining a presence in the country,” he stated. This grounded approach is a strategic change in the former model of Switzerland of remote operations and consular services headquartered at the embassy in neighboring Pakistan.

A Focus on Women, Girls, and Long-Term Stability

Even though political dynamics and general restrictions against women and girls by the Taliban have complicated the situation in Afghanistan, Swiss officials have confirmed that support for this group of people is one of the highest priorities. At present, the Swiss government supports about 140 Afghan women’s organizations that offer various services needed by women, including support to victims of violence, handicrafts, and economic empowerment.

Marclay observed that in certain cases, the Taliban permits these women-oriented initiatives to run contrary to their overall policies. He also emphasized that the mission of the Kabul office is purely humanitarian, and it has made every effort to keep itself out of politics with the existing government.

The office opened in connection to a different, and yet related, event in which Switzerland invited four Taliban representatives to Geneva. This meeting was aimed at assisting in checking the identities of 13 Afghanistan asylum seekers, 11 of whom were convicted of crimes and were being deported.

This collaboration has attracted protesting remarks by the rights groups who claim it will add some form of legitimacy to the Taliban regime. On the other hand, the move has been justified by some conservative members of the Swiss who have argued that it was a pragmatic and necessary action in order to help in clearing convicted criminals.

Regional Humanitarian Crisis Looms

The on-the-ground view that Marclay takes also gives a sobering prediction of the greater humanitarian picture in the region. He has cautioned that the continued mass expulsions of Afghans by Pakistan and Iran may greatly escalate the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

He has pointed to the Swiss-funded projects, including irrigation projects with the Aga Khan Foundation, which are meant to enhance livelihoods and provide young Afghans with powerful incentives to stay in their native land instead of taking dangerous risks to foreign lands.