The US diplomatic mission for Afghanistan was recently moved by the State Department from Kabul to Doha following completion of the withdrawal.
Blinken will be in Qatar beginning on Monday. During his time there, he is expected to meet with Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and other senior Qatari officials to thank them for their support in providing safe transit for evacuees, according to a State Department press release.
Matters relating to ongoing coordination of the evacuation as well as regional priorities that highlight the US-Qatar partnership will also be discussed during the meetings, the State Department said.
On Friday, acting US Assistant Secretary of State Dean Thompson told reporters there are no plans for Blinken to meet with the Taliban in Doha.
Blinken will leave for Germany on Wednesday to meet with officials including Foreign Minister Heiko Maas to reaffirm the strength of the US-German alliance, as well as to express gratitude for Germany’s support in the Afghan evacuation efforts.
He is also expected to attend a Ministerial meeting on Afghanistan and visit Ramstein Air Base, from which individuals evacuated from Afghanistan continue to be flown to the US.
Blinken plans on meeting with State Department employees in both Qatar and Germany who are working with the Defense Department to help evacuees travel to their onward destinations, the department said.
The trip will conclude upon Blinken’s return to Washington, DC on Wednesday.