Italy will help Afghan women refugee activists although it is unlikely to recognise the Taliban government in power in their homeland, foreign minister Luigi Di Maio said on Monday.
"We are committed to supporting female Afghan human rights activists located outside Afghanistan, whom we evacuated," Di Maio told a documentary aired by Italian public broadcaster RAI on Monday.
"This is our stance despite a government in Afghanistan that has 17 members on terrorism blacklists, a country where the violation of women's rights are a daily occurrence," he went on.
"For this reason, I do not believe it is possible to recognise the (Taliban) government," Di Maio said.
Italy is hosting a virtual G20 summit on Afghanistan on Tuesday held at premier Mario Draghi's request.
