The United Nations is holding a meeting in Doha, Qatar to build a “unified consensus” regarding Afghanistan, rather than focusing on recognition of the Taliban. U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed had previously indicated that an upcoming meeting could include discussions around recognizing the Taliban leadership, but Farhan Haq, a U.N. spokesman, clarified that the Doha conference will not address recognition. The aim of the meeting is to build consensus on the challenges faced in Afghanistan since the Taliban took control in August 2021. No country has recognized the Taliban as Afghanistan’s legitimate government. Despite previous comments by Mohammed, the U.N. spokesman emphasized that the U.N. does not have the authority to recognize Afghanistan’s government; this is the responsibility of member states. U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) has criticized any discussions on recognizing the Taliban and an executive director at the U.N. Watch has warned of the adverse consequences for women’s rights at the U.N. if the Taliban were granted credentials. The Taliban has also drawn condemnation for its recent bans on Afghan women working or studying.