Relationship dossier
Afghanistan
Kingdom of the Netherlands
Relationship assessment
Dutch military and evacuation cooperation with the former Afghan republic; relations changed after the Taliban takeover.
Afghanistan toward Kingdom of the Netherlands
+10The Afghan government of the Islamic Republic consented to the Dutch military deployment in Uruzgan as part of the international mission. The Taliban takeover in 2021 changed the governing authority, and the conduct of Taliban authorities toward the Netherlands is less clear.
Kingdom of the Netherlands toward Afghanistan
+10The Netherlands contributed troops to the international mission in Afghanistan, including a Dutch-led deployment in Uruzgan, and evacuated Afghan nationals who had assisted the Dutch mission in 2021. It has not recognized the Taliban government.
Overall relationship
+5The relationship has included substantial Dutch military involvement and cooperation with the former Afghan republic, followed by a sharp change in political circumstances after the Taliban takeover. The Netherlands’ non-recognition of the Taliban government and the uncertain scope of direct engagement constrain continuity in bilateral relations.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
During the Islamic Republic period, Afghanistan consented to the Dutch-led military presence in Uruzgan, while the Netherlands contributed troops to the international mission and later evacuated Afghan nationals who had assisted it. The Taliban takeover in 2021 changed the governing authority; the Netherlands has not recognized the Taliban government. These distinct periods make the relationship’s present scope and continuity uncertain.
Key developments
The Netherlands led an international military deployment in Uruzgan as part of the mission supporting the Afghan government.
The Netherlands evacuated Afghan nationals who had assisted its mission during the fall of Kabul.
Major uncertainties
- The scope of direct Dutch engagement with Taliban authorities is unclear.
- The extent and terms of Dutch humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan after 2021 are uncertain.