The German official is stepping down when the new coalition government is formed in December this year.

Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani discussed the latest situation in Afghanistan with outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a phone call on Wednesday, Doha’s state new agency [QNA] reported.

According to QNA, Sheikh Tamim and Merkel discussed cooperation to enhance the two countries bilateral ties and issues of common concern, with Afghanistan being at the top of the agenda.

The German chancellor thanked Qatar for its efforts in facilitating the Afghan peace process and its role in evacuating over 70,000 Afghans and foreigners from Kabul.

German FM in Qatar says recognition of Taliban ‘not priority’, urges engagement with group

German troops had completed and finalised a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in June, ending its deadliest military mission since the Second World War. Some 570 soldiers from Afghanistan were sent home as part of the German troop withdrawal.

Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas was previously in Qatar in late August following the foreign troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

In a joint press conference during his visit, Maas and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stressed the importance of avoiding the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

Earlier this week, Qatar’s leader and Merkel met in Glasgow on the sidelines of the COP26, where they reviewed cooperation between Qatar and Germany as well as “the most important topics listed on the agenda of the summit”.

After serving as Germany’s Chancellor for 16 years, Merkel is set to step down when the new coalition government is formed on 6 December this year, marking the end of an era.

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