NDR North German Broadcasting
Hamburg (ots)
According to research by NDR Info, the government coalition in Berlin is divided over the future type and scope of aid for the Taliban-ruled country in view of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. A reopening of the German embassy at working level is also controversial within the coalition. While the SPD is demanding not only emergency aid but also a resumption of development aid, the FDP, Greens and the Foreign Office are currently rejecting this. Among other things, they refer to the decree of the Taliban leadership that prohibits women from working for aid organizations. This was the result of a survey of the parliamentary groups and the ministries involved by NDR Info.
In February, 22 German non-governmental organizations appealed in a letter to Foreign Minister Baerbock to “allow the full scope of humanitarian work again – politically and financially” and to fulfill the German government’s promise “not to let the people in Afghanistan down”. Welthungerhilfe Managing Director Mathias Mogge told the NDR that humanitarian emergency aid is continuing, but with more money from international and German donors for development aid projects, “much more could be implemented”.
According to the Federal Foreign Office, 39 million euros have been pledged in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan for 2023, in 2022 it was still 330 million euros. The Development Ministry (BMZ) is currently only financing projects to secure basic human needs, comprehensive development projects like before the Taliban took power are on hold. According to a ministry spokesman, the extent of the commitment depends on “whether and to what extent it will be possible to work with women for women in Afghanistan”. Aid organizations report that in many regions help is also possible with the participation of women in consultation with the local Taliban officials. “We still have the impression that we can ensure that the help gets to those most in need,” says Mathias Mogge from Welthungerhilfe, including for women and children, “we can still guarantee that.”
The deputy leader of the SPD parliamentary group, Gabriela Heinrich, told NDR Info specifically with reference to development aid: “Wherever you can get to people directly with organizations, you have to keep trying, you have to keep trying, as long and as far as it is goes.” On the other hand, the development policy spokesman for the FDP parliamentary group, Till Mansmann, said when asked: “Under the current conditions, development cooperation is simply not possible and should be suspended – also so as not to support the policies of an inhuman regime”. Green MP Shahina Gambir only advocated humanitarian aid and called on the Taliban to lift the ban on women working in the country. “The Taliban deliberately disadvantage women as a target of humanitarian aid, because they cannot be reached solely through male employees in the NGOs. They thus prevent life-saving aid for their own population. They take them hostage.” Gabriela Heinrich from the SPD spoke of a dissent in the coalition, but was optimistic that the coalition would make progress on this issue, partly because other countries are currently stepping up their activities in Afghanistan.
Welthungerhilfe proposes the reopening of the German Embassy in Kabul at working level in order to support aid organizations in their work on site. The SPD politician Heinrich also supports this. The FDP and the Greens, on the other hand, strictly reject it and see it as sending the wrong signal to the Taliban government. The Foreign Office said that in view of the latest political developments there are currently no plans to reopen the embassy in Kabul. It is clear “that with international aid we cannot make ourselves the henchman of the Taliban, whose actions contradict fundamental humanitarian principles”.
In the Bundestag opposition, opinions differ greatly. The left-wing member of the Bundestag Sevim Dagdelen spoke out in favor of comprehensive development aid and the opening of the embassy. She is against wanting to use the Afghanistan aid as a means of exerting pressure. “It is a cheap illusion to be able to change the reactionary policies of those in power in this way. We urgently need a humanitarian turnaround in German Afghanistan policy.” The CDU foreign policy expert Jürgen Hardt, on the other hand, is demanding concessions from the Taliban. “When we organize development aid projects or aid projects, then of course we always have to ensure that human rights and fundamental rights are respected. That is not guaranteed.” The development policy spokesman for the AfD parliamentary group, Markus Frohnmaier, sees “currently no basis for further aid”. Afghanistan’s problems cannot be solved from outside, Germany should withdraw. “In terms of development policy, Afghanistan is a bottomless pit.”
NDR Info will be reporting on radio, television and online this Thursday, April 27th, as part of the theme day “Afghanistan – The Forgotten Conflict”. After current articles, reports and interviews in the news programs, the speaking time on NDR Info with audience participation will also deal with the topic in the evening from 8.33 p.m. The day is bundled online at ndr.de/afghanistan.
27.April 2023
Press contact:
NDR North German Broadcasting
corporate communications
NDR press and information
Phone: 040 / 4156 – 2300
Fax: 040 / 4156 – 2199
[email protected]
Original content from: NDR Norddeutscher Rundfunk, transmitted by news aktuell
