Anneleen Van Bossuyt confirms Belgium’s participation in exploratory administrative mission to Afghanistan
Belgium has confirmed its participation in an exploratory administrative mission to Afghanistan, representing 20 European Union Member States. The announcement was made by Minister of Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt. The mission, organised by the European Commission, aimed to establish technical administrative contacts with Afghan authorities. The initiative has drawn attention from refugee organisations, which have expressed concern about engagement with the Taliban regime.
Since October 2025, Belgium has led efforts to coordinate European action on administrative engagement with Afghanistan. Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt secured support from 20 Member States in a joint letter to European Commissioner Magnus Brunner, encouraging structured cooperation on migration-related administrative processes. Belgium proposed measures, including joint administrative missions to Afghanistan, to support identification procedures in preparation for potential returns, as well as closer coordination among willing EU Member States.
Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt has announced that a breakthrough has been achieved in administrative cooperation with Afghanistan, and that an exploratory administrative mission has taken place. In January 2026, Director General of the Immigration Office Freddy Roosemont visited Kabul for three days. During the visit, he met with officials from the Afghan Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior, as well as representatives of intelligence services. Minister Van Bossuyt described the mission as a technical-level initiative and emphasised that she did not participate personally. The mission focused on restarting technical administrative cooperation with Afghan authorities, including identification procedures carried out in preparation of potential returns. Minister Van Bossuyt stated that cases involving Afghan nationals without legal residence who have committed criminal offences should be treated as a priority, while ensuring that women and minors are not subject to forced measures. A follow-up visit by a Taliban representative to Belgium is planned to discuss practical arrangements.
The mission has prompted responses from refugee organisations. BelRefugees expressed concern that administrative cooperation with the Taliban entails political and moral responsibility and could expose individuals to risks. NGOs highlighted the importance of safeguarding human rights in any engagement and noted that cooperation with authoritarian regimes raises ethical and legal questions. Observers referred to past precedents, such as Belgium’s 2017 cooperation with Sudanese authorities, which resulted in rulings by the European Court of Human Rights on non-refoulement.
For further details, please read (in Dutch) the press release from Minister Van Bossuyt.