EU Envoy: Islamic Emirate Should Respect People of Afghanistan
Last Updated on December 23, 2024 6:51 am
Tomas Niklasson, the EU Special Representative for Afghanistan, stated that respecting the rights of Afghan citizens and fulfilling international obligations are key conditions for recognizing the Islamic Emirate.
In an exclusive interview with TOLOnews, Tomas Niklasson emphasized that the solution to Afghanistan’s current situation must be sought within the country.
“I truly believe that solutions to the situation must come from inside the country, and it is only when you have a government that respects the people of Afghanistan, that fulfills its international obligations, where we can also find steps towards normalization and one day recognition,” Niklasson said.
He further noted that in the past three years, the interim government has failed to fulfill its commitments on issues such as ensuring women’s right to education, governance standards, and preventing Afghanistan’s territory from being used against other countries.
However, Niklasson also stressed in the interview that the European Union and other parties should not interfere in deciding who leads Afghanistan.
“I agree with them that the EU or anyone else should not interfere or try to pick or have opinions on who should lead Afghanistan — that is for Afghans to decide. But we come back to the issue of domestic legitimacy and that will be a crucial part first of all for Afghanistan but also for the relationship of Afghanistan with the rest of the world,” Tomas Niklasson said.
The EU Special Representative also highlighted that the European Union has provided €1.6 billion in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan over the past three years.
“We do provide very substantial amounts of humanitarian assistance, around €750 million since 2021, and an equal amount what we call basic needs and livelihood assistance even a little bit more. So, in total €1.6 billion during the last three years,” Tomas Niklasson said.
During his visit to Kabul, Tomas Niklasson met with Islamic Emirate officials and discussed various issues with them.