Date: December 6, 2023

The third Vienna Conference for Afghan opposition, held at the Bruno Kreisky Forum, concluded with a call to end the Taliban’s repressive regime. The conference, part of the Vienna Process for a Democratic Afghanistan, brought together 50 exiled Afghan politicians, resistance fighters, clerics, and human rights activists. Ahmad Massoud, leader of the National Resistance Front and son of Ahmad Shah Massoud, highlighted the need for international support and warned against recognizing the Taliban, stating that such recognition would embolden terrorists globally.

Wolfgang Petritsch, President of the Austrian Institute for International Politics, emphasized the aim of forming a broad coalition to find a political solution for Afghanistan with the support of the international community. Despite growing signs of rapprochement between the UN, the US, and the Taliban, the Vienna Process seeks to counter this trend and push for a democratic and inclusive future for Afghanistan. This report was published in DerStandard.