Afghanistan: G7 Chair's Statement by Dominic Raab

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G7 Chair's Statement: August 19 2021

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom, August 19, 2021

A statement by Right Honourable Dominic Raab MP, First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom, in his capacity as Chair of the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting:

Today, I chaired a call of G7 Foreign and Development Ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States of America, as well as the High Representative of the European Union to discuss the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan in advance of a future G7 Leaders meeting. G7 Ministers spoke about the gravity of the situation and the significant loss of life and internal displacement in Afghanistan over recent days. G7 Ministers support the statement of the UN Security Council on 16 August, and affirmed our commitment in particular to the urgent need for the cessation of violence, respect for human rights including for women, children and minorities, inclusive negotiations about the future of Afghanistan, and the need for all parties to respect international humanitarian law, in particular in relation to humanitarian and medical personnel, interpreters and other international service providers.
The G7 Ministers underlined the importance of the Taliban holding to their commitments to ensure the protection of civilians and are deeply concerned by reports of violent reprisals in parts of Afghanistan. The G7 are continuing efforts to do everything possible to evacuate vulnerable persons from Kabul airport and call on all parties to continue to facilitate that. The G7 Ministers called for the Taliban to guarantee safe passage to foreign nationals and Afghans wanting to leave. G7 ministers also discussed the importance of close and effective cooperation among us in order to allow evacuations from Kabul. G7 Ministers discussed the importance of the international community providing safe and legal resettlement routes. They concurred that the Taliban must ensure that Afghanistan does not become host to a terrorist threat to international security.
G7 Ministers stated that the crisis in Afghanistan requires an international response including intensive engagement on the critical questions facing Afghanistan and the region: with the Afghans most affected, parties to the conflict, the UN Security Council, the G20, international donors, and with Afghanistan's regional neighbours. G7 Ministers will each engage with partners in the coming days and weeks to seek to secure an inclusive political settlement, enable life-saving humanitarian assistance and support in Afghanistan and the region, and prevent any further loss of life in Afghanistan and to the international community from terrorism. The G7 Ministers call on the international community to come together with a shared mission to prevent the crisis in Afghanistan escalating.

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Source: Gov.UK

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