Premier Mario Draghi told a press
conference after an extraordinary G20 summit on Afghanistan he
hosted Tuesday that "there is the awareness that the
humanitarian emergency is extremely serious".
Describing the summit talks as "satisfying and fruitful", Draghi
said "there was an accord, a great willingness to act and a
convergence of views" on the need to address this humanitarian
emergency" in a joint way via a mandate to the United Nations,
"of a general type, to coordinate the response and also act
directly".
Draghi added "everyone touched on the issue of rights for women,
to guarantee them the right to an education and not go back 20
years".
He also said that contacts with the Taliban do not mean
recognition; that it was essential that Russia and China take
part in the G20 in Rome at the end of this month; that there was
a common commitment on setting up humanitarian corridors from
Afghanistan; and that there was a "strong will on the part of
the G20 to act immediately".
Premier Draghi chaired the extraordinary G20 summit on the
crisis caused by the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan
after US troops pulled out after 20 years.
The Italian presidency of the G20 pushed hard for the
extraordinary summit, which was held via video-conference and
lasted for about three hours.
A statement said the issues on the agenda included "urgent
humanitarian support for the Afghan population; the fight
against terrorism, freedom of movement within the territory and
open borders".
The White House said the summit made commitments to fight terror
and defend human rights.
It said President Joe Biden, along with leaders of G20 guest
countries and international financial institutions discussed
"the critical need to maintain a laser-focus on our enduring
counterterrorism efforts, including against threats from ISIS-K,
and ensuring safe passage for those foreign nationals and Afghan
partners with documentation seeking to depart Afghanistan".
It said the Leaders also "reaffirmed their collective commitment
to provide humanitarian assistance directly to the Afghan people
through independent international organizations, and to promote
fundamental human rights for all Afghans, including women,
girls, and members of minority groups.
The United States remains committed, the White House said, to
working closely with the international community and using
diplomatic, humanitarian, and economic means to address the
situation in Afghanistan and support the Afghan people.
Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the summit that Turkey
could not continue to take in Afghan refugees. Chinese Foreign
Minister Wang Yi said the G20 should act "on the basis of
respecting Afghanistan's sovereignty, independence and
territorial integrity".
Speaking for President Xi Jinping, he said China thought that
interfering in internal affairs would only bring disorder. The
EU on Tuesday earmarked one billion euros in aid for
Afghanistan.
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