On Thursday 9 September, the European Union expressed its disappointment after the announcement of the interim Taliban government in Afghanistan.
“The EU has taken note of the progress of the various appointments to the interim government in Afghanistan and the appointment to various posts by the Taliban. Looking at the names announced, it doesn’t really look like an inclusive and representative government”, explained the spokesperson for the European External Action Service, Peter Stano. He recalled that the Taliban had promised to appoint people reflecting the diverse and rich ethnical background that Afghanistan has.
The government has 33 ministers, all of whom are men and only three are not Pashtuns (one Uzbek and two Tajiks).
Explaining that one of the criteria for EU engagement with the Taliban was the creation of an inclusive and representative transition government through negotiation (see EUROPE 12783/1), Mr Stano said that this “first step” by the Taliban did not meet expectations.
“We look forward to have in place a permanent government that will reflect this principle of inclusion and be a representative body of Afghan society”, he added. The spokesperson also said that the EU was waiting for the formation of a more stable government to see if engagement was possible.
The day before, European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič had pointed out that the situation in the country was “still unclear” and that the EU was monitoring it closely. “We are looking very, very carefully at the behaviour of the new government before we engage with it”, he warned.
On the same day, the S&D Group in the European Parliament announced that it would nominate a group of Afghan women for the 2021 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. They are female activists, politicians, journalists and teachers who have fought for women’s rights, particularly in the areas of education and political participation. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)