Afghanistan crisis: EU chief Ursula von der Leyen appeals to members to accept refugees

On Saturday, EU Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen urged European Union members to accept Afghanistan migrants fleeing Kabul, promising financial assistance from Brussels. "We have to offer options to people who cannot go back or stay home," von der Leyen said after touring a military installation in northeast Spain that would serve as a welcoming centre for Afghans working for the EU arriving from Kabul.

EU must offer legal and safe routes: Ursula von der Leyen

She also said, "this means, first, that we must offer legal and safe routes globally, organised by us, to those who need our protection." She continued by saying that all EU countries that had missions in Afghanistan needed to provide enough quotas to ensure that people who needed protection received it. She further stated that the Commission is prepared to look into the appropriate budgetary measures to support EU member states that will step up and assist in the resettlement of migrants.

The base in Torrejon de Ardoz was also visited by EU Council President Charles Michel, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borell, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. The centre, which has a capacity of 800 people, will be used to process arriving Afghans and their families before they are established in EU countries, according to Sanchez.

He added, without explaining, that several countries, notably Denmark and some Baltic countries, had already agreed to accept the former EU staff. For nearly a week, Western countries have been scrambling to evacuate not only their citizens but also Afghans who worked for them and are fearful of retaliation from the new Taliban regime.

EU has not recognised the Taliban

On Saturday, August 21, 2021, Ursula von der Leyen stated that the European Union has not recognised the Taliban and is not holding formal negotiations with the militant group, who gained control of Kabul on Sunday, August 15, 2021. After visiting a welcome centre in Madrid for Afghan employees of EU institutions who had been evacuated from Afghanistan, Von der Leyen spoke. She stated that she would recommend an increase in $67 million in humanitarian aid allotted to Afghanistan by the Commission this year. EU development funding is linked to respect for human rights, good treatment of minorities, and respect for women's and girls' rights, according to the head of the EU executive.

(Inputs from PTI)

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