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Updated October 12th, 2021 at 13:57 IST

EU's Josep Borrell urges bloc to help Afghanistan avert crisis without recognising Taliban

Josep Borrell said that the EU must endeavour to avoid a new European migration catastrophe by helping avert Afghanistan's imminent economic collapse

Reported by: Anurag Roushan
EU
Image: AP | Image:self
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European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday, October 11, that the EU must endeavour to avoid a new European migration catastrophe by averting Afghanistan's imminent economic collapse without recognising the Taliban's interim government.

Borrell said that there was a possibility of an acute migration crisis because of the prevailing situation in Afghanistan but it has not happened and its possibility can also be avoided if the EU is successful in preventing the economic collapse of the war-torn country, reported news agency Sputnik citing Spanish newspaper El Pais.

"Foreign transfers account for approximately 75% of the Afghan budget. They have all been frozen now which suggests economic catastrophe is a possibility. So, we must prevent it without acknowledging or supporting the Taliban's current administration," Borrell was quoted as saying. 

'EU can contribute to Afghanistan through UN entities'

Although the European Union cannot directly contribute money to Afghanistan because several ministers of the country's interim government are on the US terrorist list, member states can do so through UN entities functioning in the nation, suggested Borrell. The EU foreign policy chief also said that the bloc is particularly concerned about the issue of Afghan migrants, noting that migration is not only a major issue for the European Union but also one of the most divisive issues inside the association.

Despite differences in policies between US President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump, Washington still does not consider the views of the European Union, Borrell stated as reported by Sputnik. He also emphasised the importance of maintaining a balance in political relations between the parties. According to Borrell, his key goal is to ensure that the EU promotes its own interests and becomes more proactive.

Borrell underlines the need for EU's own military capacity

Earlier, Borrell had also stated that the EU should provide financial assistance to Afghanistan's neighbouring nations in order to assist them in coping with migrants fleeing the Taliban. In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera, he stated that the EU must boost collaboration with neighbouring nations in order to handle Afghanistan-related difficulties.

Meanwhile, the top EU official stated in the same interview that the Afghan situation had underscored the need for the EU to have its own military capacity. He further suggested that the EU states should move ahead with the creation of a European rapid response force in order to be better prepared for future crises like the one in Afghanistan.

(Image: AP)

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Published October 12th, 2021 at 13:57 IST

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