UAE-based company GAAC Solutions to manage key airports in Afghanistan, despite earlier plans falling through with Qatar.

The Taliban has confirmed the signing of an agreement with an Emirati company, GAAC Solutions, which will take over the management of three major airports in Afghanistan. This deal follows the collapse of the country’s US-backed government and marks a significant development in the Taliban’s efforts to secure international partnerships.

The airports involved are located in Kabul, Herat, and Kandahar, with Ghulam Jelani Wafa, the Taliban’s acting deputy minister for transport and civil aviation, signing the contract on behalf of the Afghan government. Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s deputy prime minister, was also present at the signing and described the deal as a renewal of a ground-handling agreement with the UAE, a nation that is home to major airlines such as Emirates and Etihad Airways.

Despite the announcement, questions remain about the deal’s specifics. Qatar had initially been in talks to run the airports, but negotiations reportedly faltered over Doha’s demand for its own security forces at the facilities. Qatar, which already serves as the United States’ diplomatic representative in Taliban-led Afghanistan, had been involved in evacuations after the US withdrawal, with Qatar Airways assisting in airlifts from Kabul.

The UAE’s Foreign Ministry did not respond to requests for comment on the new deal, and GAAC Solutions, an Abu Dhabi-based joint venture, has yet to provide further details. While the company’s website lists G42 as a partner, G42 later distanced itself from GAAC, stating it had ceased operations in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s entry into Kabul in August 2021.

At the signing ceremony, Baradar urged foreign investors to consider Afghanistan a secure and welcoming environment for business, promising safety and support from the Taliban-led government. However, the Taliban’s international standing remains controversial, with widespread condemnation of their actions since taking control, including their refusal to reopen schools for girls above the sixth grade and recent restrictions on women working in television.

The deal, reportedly valued at $47 million, is set to include airport operations such as ground handling, security, and IT services.