MEPs expressed their solidarity with the Afghan people during a debate at the European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg on Tuesday 14 September.
“We have to help the Afghans, we owe it to them and we owe it to the world”, said Pedro Marques (S&D, Portugal).
On behalf of Renew Europe, Petras Auštrevičius (Lithuania) said that the Afghan people would pay a high price, as “they have no future”. “Today, our strategy is to protect Afghans and joint successes. We must protect the lives of civic activists and those who want to make a difference and save the millions of Afghans who face poverty and starvation”, he added.
On behalf of the Greens/EFA, Tineke Strik from the Netherlands said that Europeans should do everything they could to “protect Afghans from Taliban terror” and take responsibility.
More broadly, for David McAllister (EPP, Germany), the EU should act on humanitarian aid, help stabilise the region, identify a coherent strategy or a single approach at EU level and with its international partners towards the Taliban.
“This is not the time to point fingers, but to work together to ensure the stability of the country and the region and the respect of rights”, said Iratxe García Pérez (Spain), speaking on behalf of the S&D group, calling on the women of the world to unite to help Afghan women and girls.
She also called for the implementation of humanitarian corridors to allow those who wish to leave Afghanistan to do so.
Several MEPs called for the reception of Afghans in the EU, including Mick Wallace from Ireland for The Left. “The EU must provide a safe and sustainable haven for those fleeing the chaos we have created”, he said, while Michael Gahler (EPP, Germany) said Europeans must ensure that Afghanistan’s neighbours receive assistance to welcome refugees with dignity.
Providing immediate humanitarian aid, including food, and ensuring the safety of aid workers was mentioned by all as an urgent need for the Afghan population and neighbouring countries.
“We all agree that emergency humanitarian assistance should be provided through the UN to address the risk of famine”, said Mr Gahler.
The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, recalled that the EU had pledged more than €200 million in emergency aid, quadrupling the amount initially planned for this year, and welcomed the “good results” of the international donors’ conference convened the day before by the UN Secretary General. With more than US$1 billion pledged, the conference “fulfilled the expectations” of UN Secretary General António Guterres (see EUROPE 12789/12).
Of the 11 million people in need of life-saving assistance, the High Representative cited in particular the 5 million Afghans at risk in the north. “We need to help those 5 million people who are at risk of dying, before winter comes”.
He added to those MEPs who fear a migration crisis or even attacks on European soil, such as Jordan Bardella (ID, France): “These people will not come to Europe because they do not have the strength”.
The importance of maintaining a channel of communication with the Taliban to deliver aid was emphasised. “Afghanistan is a country dependent on humanitarian aid, so a link with the current regime is essential”, said Isabel Wiseler-Lima (EPP, Luxembourg).
German MEP Lena Düpont (EPP) said that “protecting the rights of women and girls, who are threatened and denied access to education and health, must be at the heart of humanitarian aid and a condition for it”.
Some MEPs argued for development aid - currently suspended - to continue, subject to conditions, identifying projects where this would be possible.
Finally, several MEPs felt that the situation in Afghanistan showed that the EU must develop its common security and defence policy. Nathalie Loiseau (Renew Europe, France) said that “if it is true that Europe is moving forward thanks to crises, let’s bet that European defence has every reason to move forward” following the Afghan crisis.
A resolution on Afghanistan will be put to the vote in the European Parliament on Thursday 16 September. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant and Aminata Niang)