The European Union says its envoy Gilles Bertrand raised concerns over women’s rights, regional security and cross-border tensions during a visit to Kabul, while Afghan officials urged more development aid, trade access and continued dialogue.
Bertrand visited Kabul from 17 to 21 April and held talks with senior Afghan officials, diplomats, United Nations representatives, civil society activists and non-governmental organisations, according to the European External Action Service.
The visit appears to show that contact between the two sides is continuing, even as major disagreements remain over rights and international engagement.
According to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Foreign Minister for Finance and Administration Dr Mohammad Naeem told Bertrand that EU aid should move towards long-term development so that it can create jobs and help address “people’s basic problems”.
The Afghan side also said dialogue should remain at the centre of relations. Summarising that position, the ministry said Naeem stressed that “dialogue and diplomacy” were the most effective ways to solve problems and that both sides agreed to maintain regular contact for better co-ordination.
Bertrand’s office, however, said human rights featured prominently in all his exchanges. The EU statement said restrictions on women and girls, including access to education, work and public life, remain a major obstacle to normalising relations.
It added that Afghanistan remains the only country where girls are banned from studying beyond sixth grade.
The EU also said Bertrand discussed tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the threat posed by armed groups, the return of Afghan nationals from Iran and Pakistan, and the need for a resilient private sector.
In a closing line that summed up the bloc’s position, the statement said, “The European Union’s engagement in Afghanistan remains principled, pragmatic, and focused on the needs of the Afghan people.”
The wider backdrop remains severe. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 21.9 million people in Afghanistan are projected to need humanitarian assistance in 2026.
U.S. President Donald Trump said his separate meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in W...
The U.S. and Saudi Arabia struck Iran-backed groups in Iraq, saying they were responsible for drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities, as Washington sai...
Ukraine's new defence minister Yevhenii Khmara has said Ukraine cannot match Russia 'punch for punch' while outlining new strategies as Ukraine contin...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that there is a good chance” of reaching a deal with Iran, but warned that Washington would resume military operation if negotiations fail.
The Russia-Ukraine war is increasingly reshaping the Caspian region. From threats to energy infrastructure to renewed diplomatic efforts, countries across the region are adapting to the wider consequences of a conflict that continues to disrupt trade, transport and security.
Yemen warned the Houthis were seeking to replicate Iran's Strait of Hormuz strategy in the Red Sea, as U.S. President Donald Trump said there was a "good chance" of a deal with Tehran but warned strikes could resume if talks failed.
Moscow should stop linking Russia-Armenia relations to Azerbaijan, Baku's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada has said, after Russia again raised the Collective Security Treaty Organisation's role during the former Garabagh conflict.
The 27 July edition of Daybreak covers a pause in fighting between the U.S. and Iran, the latest developments in Russia's war against Ukraine, and mass evacuations as wildfires continue to spread across France and Spain.
Afghanistan and Uzbekistan signed 22 trade agreements worth more than $200 million during a business forum in Kabul on Sunday, as officials from both countries pledged to deepen economic cooperation and expand trade and investment.
Moscow should stop linking Russia-Armenia relations to Azerbaijan, Baku's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada has said, after Russia again raised the Collective Security Treaty Organisation's role during the former Garabagh conflict.
President Donald Trump has dismissed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's opposition to a potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye, saying U.S. arms sales are decided by Washington alone. He also praised Türkiye as "a tremendous ally" and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as "a friend".
Pakistani businesses are warning that growing difficulties in obtaining United Arab Emirates (UAE) visas are disrupting trade, delaying investment and limiting access to a key export market, despite both Islamabad and Abu Dhabi saying there is no official visa ban.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to resolve a dispute over trade restrictions imposed by Moscow, Yerevan's government said on Monday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment