Afghanistan – One year after the fall of Kabul (15 Aug. 2022)

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One year after the Taliban took power by force in Afghanistan, the conclusion is clear: the humanitarian situation has dramatically worsened, and human-rights violations are constantly on the rise, as emphasized by the 20 July report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

Despite their commitments, the decisions taken by the Taliban over the past year demonstrate their lack of respect for the international community’s expectations as set out in United Nations Security Council resolution 2593.
Those five demands stipulated:
• the safe and unimpeded departure of Afghans and all foreign nationals who wish to leave the country;
• guaranteed humanitarian access throughout Afghan territory;
• respect for human rights, and in particular women’s and girls’ rights;
• the breaking of all direct or indirect links, including financial links, with terrorist groups, and in particular with al-Qaeda;
• the establishment of a transitional government which is representative of all Afghan people and addresses the people’s aspirations.

The presence of al-Qaeda terrorist leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri in the very heart of Kabul was a blatant example of this.

France utterly condemns the increasing number of serious and continued human-rights violations, in particular against Afghan women and girls, whom the Taliban have banned from – among other things – travelling more than 72 kilometres without a male relative (December 2021), taking flights alone (March) and going to secondary school (March). The Taliban have also obliged them to wear the full veil (May). We call on the Taliban to reverse these unacceptable decisions, which exclude half the Afghan population from the public sphere and jeopardize the country’s prospects of economic and social development.

In this centenary year of French-Afghan relations, France reaffirms its solidarity with and support for Afghans. It has thus delivered, since 15 August 2021, more than €120 million of humanitarian aid to the Afghan population. It will remain mobilized with its European and international partners to bring about a peaceful, sovereign Afghanistan that respects the rights and freedoms of all its citizens.