Following the capture of Afghanistan by the Taliban, Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa, met with the Afghan Ambassador to Sri Lanka, M. Ashraf Haidari, to offer the country’s full support, “consistent with the strong Afghanistan-Sri Lanka friendship and growing bilateral relations”.
The discussion touched on issues of regional security, migration, the climate crisis and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst the government has not declared an official position on the Taliban, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry has released a statement in which they praise the Taliban for its offer of amnesty and promise to not harm foreigners. The statement also highlights the Taliban’s claim that “women in Afghanistan can work and girls can go to school, following the Islamic tradition”.
The Ministry’s statement further raised concerns over mass migration, religious extremism, and the illegal narcotics trade.
