Germany to provide $11.7MN for Afghanistan people support program: FM Heiko Maas

After the Afghanistan government collapsed with the Taliban take over of Kabul, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Wednesday, August 18, has informed that Germany is set to provide 10 million euros (USD 11.7 million) for a program to support people in Afghanistan.

German Foreign Minister said, "We are looking into the period after the evacuation, I spoke about this with representatives of German human rights organizations... These days, many representatives of NGOs, science, and culture addressed us. In recent years, they have maintained a close partnership with civil society (in Afghanistan) which they would like to continue to support".

He added, "To ensure this, we are creating a support fund for those who campaigned for human rights, freedom of science and culture, we want to expand specific protection programs for Afghanistan... and we are allocating immediately 10 million euros for this," he added.

Earlier on August 16, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had described the Taliban's Afghanistan takeover as "bitter, dramatic and terrible".

Addressing a televised news conference Merkel had said, "This is a particularly bitter development. Bitter, dramatic, and terrible...it is terrible for the millions of Afghans who have worked for the freedom of a society". 

'France won't abandon Afghanistan'

Clarifying his stance on the Afghanistan crisis, President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, August 16, promised that France would not abandon Afghans who worked for his country from translators to kitchen staff, as well as artists, activists, and others under threat from the Taliban. He informed that both France and Germany will propose a European plan to manage migration flows from Afghanistan to escape the Taliban. The French President called on nations to support Afghanistan while terming it an “absolute urgency". 

He added that two military transport planes with special forces were due to fly to Kabul but the exact timing is not scheduled as the United States temporarily shut down the Kabul airport to civilian and military flights. 

UN's Antonio Guterres on Afghanistan crisis

Secretary-General of the UN, António Guterres, on Tuesday, August 17, has appealed to the world to receive Afghan refugees and refrain from deportations. On August 16, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) had held its second meeting on Afghanistan in 10 days, as the country was taken over by the Taliban capturing Kabul.

He had said, “I remind all parties of their obligation to protect civilians, I call upon the Taliban and all parties to respect and protect international humanitarian law and the rights and freedoms of all persons". 

(With ANI input)

(Image credit: AP)