The leaders of the G20 countries, meeting virtually on Tuesday 12 October in Rome with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, stressed the humanitarian emergency in Afghanistan and agreed to provide assistance both to help people on the ground and to avoid “economic collapse” in the country, Mr Draghi said.
Echoing European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s announcement earlier in the day of increased humanitarian aid to the country (see EUROPE 12810/3), the Italian Prime Minister insisted that the Afghan banking system must also be preserved. “Payments must be made and we must try to save the banking system there”.
Participants also discussed the needs of migrants leaving the country as well as women’s rights in the country, with the risk of “going back 20 years”, said Mr Draghi.
The discussion also focused on the need to avoid the country becoming “a sanctuary for international terrorism”.
Asked about the recognition of the Taliban by the international community, the Prime Minister outlined the G20 members’ requirements, namely being a representative and progressive government.
“The EU has no intention of moving towards any kind of unconditional international recognition of the Taliban”, a European source said earlier. “We have to think about political and financial cooperation with the de facto authorities and for that, several criteria have been identified with the agreement of the 27 Member States”, such as “human rights, access for humanitarian workers and aid delivery, an inclusive and representative government” (see EUROPE B12795A).
As Afghanistan is made up of different ethnic groups, “it is essential that they are all represented in the Afghan government and administration”, the source said. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)