German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Friday, on the fourth anniversary of the Taliban’s seizure of power, that a return to the international community will not be possible unless the Taliban uphold their international obligations, especially respect for human rights.
“Four years ago today, the Taliban’s takeover drastically changed life for the people of Afghanistan,” the minister said. “For women and girls in particular, Aug. 15, 2021, marked a severe rupture — the start of a life without freedom, without prospects of education or work.”
Wadephul said the Taliban have increasingly curtailed the rights of women and minorities, and grave human rights violations have once again become part of daily life. “A return to the international community will be impossible unless the Taliban at last uphold international obligations, above all respect for the Afghan people’s human rights,” he said.
The statement noted that more than half of Afghanistan’s population — about 23 million people — lack adequate access to food, clean drinking water and medical care. Children and pregnant women are particularly affected by acute malnutrition.
According to the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement, Germany is providing emergency humanitarian assistance that bypasses the Taliban administration, delivering aid instead through international organizations such as the United Nations. In addition to existing funding, Berlin will make available another 5.8 million euros ($6.3 million) from the budgets of the Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The ministry said that the aid, distributed via the World Food Programme, other UN agencies and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations, will be used to provide food and maintain life-saving basic health care, focusing on women, children, returning Afghans and residents of border areas hit hardest by shortages.
The statement also expressed concern for Afghans in Pakistan under Germany’s federal admissions programs, many of whom face the risk of deportation. Berlin is in high-level contact with Pakistan’s government to secure protection for these people and to help those recently deported or detained.
Afghanistan has been under Taliban control since Aug. 15, 2021. No country except Russia has recognized the Taliban administration. Germany says it has allocated more than 20 million euros in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in 2025.
