EU pledges $1.2bn aid to Afghans

Published October 13, 2021
ROME: A screen shows world leaders taking part virtually in an extraordinary meeting of G20 on Tuesday.—Reuters
ROME: A screen shows world leaders taking part virtually in an extraordinary meeting of G20 on Tuesday.—Reuters

DOHA: The Taliban held their first face-to-face talks with a joint US-EU delegation on Tuesday in Qatar as Brussels pledged one billion euros ($1.2 billion) in aid for Afghanistan.

The Taliban regime is seeking recognition, as well as assistance to avoid a humanitarian disaster, after they returned to power in August following the withdrawal of US troops.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the EU aid package, meant “to avert a major humanitarian and socio-economic collapse”, at a virtual G20 summit hosted by Italy.

She stressed the funds are “direct support” for Afghans and would be channelled to international organisations working on the ground, not to the Taliban’s interim government which Brussels does not recognise.

“We have been clear about our conditions for any engagement with the Afghan authorities, including on the respect of human rights,” she said.

The Taliban badly need assistance as Afghanistan’s economy is in a parlous state with most aid cut off even as winter nears, food prices rise and unemployment spikes.

EU countries are wary at the prospect of a surge of Afghan asylum-seekers trying to enter the bloc, as happened in 2015 with Syrians fleeing their war.

Brussels’ calculation is that donating money to help stabilise Afghanistan and assist countries between it and Europe could stem any flow.

The direct talks held in Doha on Tuesday were facilitated by Qatar, which has long hosted a Taliban political office.

“I think engaging with them (the Taliban) is the most important now,” said Mutlaq al-Qahtani, a special envoy to Qatar’s foreign minister, who brushed aside the question of whether to recognise a Taliban government.

“A priority as we speak now is the humanitarian (situation), is education, is free passage” of people wishing to leave, he told the Global Security Forum conference in Doha.

EU spokeswoman Nabila Massrali said the meeting would “allow the US and European side to address issues” including respect for women’s rights and preventing Afghanistan becoming a haven for “terrorist” groups.

“This is an informal exchange at technical level. It does not constitute recognition of the ‘interim government’,” she said.

Martin Longden, charge d’affaires at the now evacuated UK mission to Afghanistan, joined the talks on Tuesday, saying his country had “pressed for action” on a number of issues.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2021

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.