EU governments need to repatriate from Afghanistan all EU citizens and those who helped us

“The EU ministers of Foreign Affairs need to undertake during their meeting tomorrow an urgent debate on the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for the stability of the region and our own strategy towards the country, including the dynamically changing security and political situation, making sure Afghanistan does not descent to a safe-haven for terrorists and taking under consideration new possible migratory flows ” - insisted Manfred Weber MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group and Sandra Klaniete, Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group for Foreign Affairs.

Both urged the EU governments to repatriate without any delays the EU citizens , their families and staff and to extend the relocation scheme to all those working in Afghanistan who helped international coalition in place. 

“Today as the Taliban regime continues to take over power in Kabul it is crucial for the European Union to make sure that it effectively and rapidly undertakes repatriation to its citizens and their families, to all local staff working for the EU and Member States’ diplomatic missions and our armed forces during their mission. Furthermore all representatives of NGOs working in Afghanistan to promote democracy, freedom, human rights, plurality or women’s rights should also be offered the possibility to reallocate to the European Union. We must show our solidarity and extend a helping hand to all those who supported us and are in grave danger today” - said Sandra Kalniete.

“An era of two decades of a democratic experiment in Afghanistan is regrettably coming to an end. It is therefore the responsibility of the international community to undertake efforts to protect its most important achievements. That is women’s rights and the education of girls. We need to do everything in our power to avoid going back to the dark age of the first Taliban rule in this regard” - said Manfred Weber.

“The world watched in horror heart-breaking scenes from Afghanistan’s cities culminating with the images of yesterday’s chaos and panic on the tarmac of the Kabul International Airport where hundreds tried to flee the incoming Taliban forces. The world also watched in disbelief how an armed force funded by billions of dollars and trained by western militaries offered no resistance and surrendered to the Taliban.  Questions need to be asked and answers need to be provided how was it possible that with all the investment of the last twenty years by many EU countries going in billions of Euros, manpower and sacrifice of our soldiers and civilian staff, Afghanistan folded in a matter of days” - he continued.