Afghanistan: EU has a responsibility to support refugees & resettlement
Today, Members of the European Parliament will debate the situation in Afghanistan. MEPs will vote on a resolution on the situation in Afghanistan on Thursday. The Greens/EFA Group are calling on the European Union to ensure the protection of those fleeing Afghanistan through evacuation, the issuance of humanitarian visas and an increase in humanitarian aid.
Tineke Strik MEP, Greens/EFA spokesperson on Afghanistan in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, comments:
"It is heartbreaking to see Afghan citizens exposed to brutal violence by the Taliban, summary executions, arbitrary decisions and the severe and violent oppression of women and girls. The people of Afghanistan face an enormous humanitarian disaster, with shortages of food, water and other basic needs.
"The EU has a responsibility to the people of Afghanistan. The EU must coordinate further evacuations of people who worked for us or who are at imminent risk of Taliban persecution. The EU needs to ensure the granting of humanitarian visas for those arriving in a neighbouring country. We call on the Commission and Member states to increase and ensure access for humanitarian aid to the Afghan people and to redirect developing assistance to non-governmental actors.
"All EU countries must take responsibility for refugees. It’s time to step up resettlement, facilitate family reunification and prepare for the arrival of Afghan refugees at our border. They must receive immediate protection, even if their request was already rejected before. The Temporary Protection Directive was designed to equally divide refugees between Member States and the Commission and Council must now finally make use of it.
"There can be no recognition of the Taliban as long as human rights are at risk and there must be an investigation into preferential trade with the EU. The fall of Kabul should be a lesson for the EU. We need a more effective foreign policy to protect and strengthen human rights.”
