The head of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Jan Egeland, has urged governments in Europe, North America and elsewhere to reopen their embassies in Afghanistan and engage directly with the Islamic Emirate authorities.
Speaking to AFP in Kabul on Thursday, Egeland said governments should continue pressing the IEA for women’s rights while also providing humanitarian assistance to a population facing a deepening crisis.
He stressed that diplomatic engagement would not necessarily mean formally recognising the IEA authorities, whose government is officially recognised only by Russia.
“Our appeal is… come here and engage with us,” Egeland said, calling on governments to demand rights for women and girls while also offering assistance to them.
His comments came as international aid to Afghanistan has fallen sharply since the Islamic Emirate returned to power in 2021. The United Nations said it had received less than 30 percent of the funding needed to provide life-saving assistance as of late August.
Egeland also criticised governments that publicly advocate for Afghan women’s rights while reducing humanitarian funding.
“It is hypocrisy when one does that from abroad in a seminar in some capital in Europe and cut aid for food to Afghan girls and even for primary education for Afghan girls,” he said.
