By Humeyra Pamuk

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The United States has agreed to allow Qatar to represent its diplomatic interests in Afghanistan. This was a significant signal that Washington and Kabul could engage in direct dialogue in the future, after more than two decades of war.

Qatar has agreed to sign a deal with the United States to take over the “protecting power” role for U.S. interest to facilitate communication between Washington State and Taliban in Afghanistan.

It comes as the United States, along with other Western countries, are struggling with how to interact with Taliban. In August the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. This was just after U.S.-led troops were beginning their withdrawal after twenty years of conflict.

Many countries, including the United States of America and European States are unwilling to recognize the Taliban officially. This is despite criticisms that they are not keeping their promises to ethnic and political inclusion. They also refuse to acknowledge women and minority groups.

Many countries are realizing that winter is approaching and they must do more to stop the country in deep poverty from becoming a humanitarian disaster.

The arrangement will take effect Dec. 31 and will see Qatar dedicate some staff to its Embassy in Afghanistan to a U.S. Interests Section, which will closely coordinate with U.S. State Department officials and the U.S. mission at Doha.

A U.S. official stated that the United States would continue to engage with the Taliban via Doha, Qatar’s capital. This is where the Taliban have held a political office for many years.

“As our protecting power, Qatar will assist the United States in providing limited consular services to our citizens and in protecting U.S. interests in Afghanistan,” said the senior State Department official, who spoke about the sensitive matter on the condition of anonymity.

Consular assistance may include accepting passport applications, offering notarial services for documentation, providing information, and helping in emergencies, the U.S. official said.

U.S. Interests Section will operate out of certain facilities on the compound in Kabul used by the U.S. Embassy prior to the suspension of operations, the State Department official said, adding that Qatar would monitor the properties on the compound and conduct security patrols.

Afghans in crisis face increasing hunger, high food costs, drought, and an economy that is in freefall. This has been facilitated by hard cash shortages and sanctions against Taliban leaders, as well as the suspension or reduction of financial assistance.

After the August victory of the Taliban, the millions of dollars worth foreign aid which had helped keep the economy alive abruptly stopped. The central bank reserves were frozen at more than $9B.

According to the U.S., Qatar will temporarily house up to 8,000 Afghans at risk who have filed for SIV visas and eligible relatives under a separate agreement.

“SIV applicants will be housed at Camp As Sayliyah and al-Udeid Air Base,” the official said.

Two decades of U.S.-led occupation in Afghanistan ended in an organized airlift that evacuated more than 124,000 people, Afghans included, as the Taliban took control. However, thousands of U.S.-allied Afghans who were at high risk of Taliban persecution were not evacuated.