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Germany to take in more of its Afghan staff as NATO mission winds down
Germany said on Friday it was ready to take in more local staff who have been working for its military in Afghanistan as NATO’s mission there winds down.
The decision follows calls for Berlin to accelerate the process by which hundreds of Afghans who worked for the German military can resettle in Germany because of fears for their security if they stay in Afghanistan.
Abandoning a plan to admit only Afghans who had been employed by Germany for the past two years, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said all local staff who are at risk and have worked for the German military or security forces since 2013 will now be eligible to come to Germany.
“The two-year deadline has been lifted,” he said.
Seehofer cited new findings on the security situation in Afghanistan for the decision. He said his ministry would not pay for any flights of former Afghan staff to Germany.
NATO is leaving behind tens of thousands of Afghans who worked as civilian employees for foreign militaries as it winds down a mission that began after the Taliban were forced from power following the 9/11 attacks on the United States in 2001.
At the start of June, the Taliban assured those Afghans of their safety, but few felt reassured.
According to a report by Spiegel news magazine, Germany so far has granted approval to around 400 former Afghan employees and their close families to come to Germany.
In April, the German forces still employed about 300 Afghans as interpreters and in other jobs, the defence ministry said.
Since 2013, Germany has admitted nearly 800 Afghans at risk in their own country after working for the foreign military, as well as about 2,500 family members.
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Continued aid to Afghanistan vital for regional security: Kazakh president
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has emphasized the continuation of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, stating that the ongoing provision of such aid plays an important role in ensuring regional security.
Speaking at the international conference “Peace and Trust” in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, Tokayev described addressing complex humanitarian challenges and the reconstruction of Afghanistan as a necessity.
“To ensure regional security, we consider it essential to continue providing assistance to Afghanistan, including by strengthening international efforts to address complex humanitarian issues and the reconstruction of this country. Kazakhstan remains committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan through humanitarian aid, educational projects, trade development, and food security initiatives,” he said.
Meanwhile, experts believe that sustainable improvement of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan requires broad cooperation from the international community and support for the country’s economic development.
“Investment can be defined as one of the fundamental drivers of the economic cycle, and whenever Afghan traders do not take their money out of the country and instead invest domestically, it naturally leads to greater growth and dynamism in Afghanistan’s economy,” said Abdul Zahoor Modabber, an economic analyst.
As the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan continues, reports by international relief organizations indicate that millions of citizens of the country are in urgent need of food, health, and livelihood assistance.
The reduction in funding for aid organizations, the impacts of climate change, and the return of migrants have increased concerns about a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the country.
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Islamic Emirate declines to attend Tehran meeting on Afghanistan
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Sirajuddin Haqqani: A government that intimidates its people is not a true government
Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, Minister of Interior of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said during a visit to Khost province on Friday that any government which rules through fear cannot be considered a true government.
“A government is one that is loved by its people, one that serves them with respect and compassion, and from whose behavior people learn ethics and sincerity,” he said.
Haqqani also stressed that Afghans who opposed the Islamic Emirate in the past should be tolerated and treated in a way that helps eliminate hostility and animosity, paving the way for national cohesion.
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