About: Afghanistan
EU and Azerbaijan agree ‘Partnership Priorities’
A milestone in EU-Azerbaijan relations was reached in Brussels yesterday (11 July), with the end of negotiations of the EU-Azerbaijan Partnership Priorities in the presence of President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, and the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.
Bulgaria under fire for ill-treatment of asylum-seekers
French lawyers will file a complaint against Bulgaria and ask the European Commission to start an infringement procedure for inhumane treatment of asylum seekers by the country’s authorities, the Green/EFA group announced on Tuesday (26 June).
Afghan poverty rises sharply since NATO combat troops’ departure
Poverty has risen sharply in Afghanistan since the departure of NATO's combat troops in 2014, with more than half of the population now living below the poverty line, according to a national survey.
Turkey says facing ‘new refugee wave’ after 30,000 Afghans arrive
Nearly 30,000 Afghans have arrived in Turkey in the last three months, the Turkish government said Wednesday (25 April), after Amnesty International criticised the authorities "ruthless" decision to send more than 7,000 back to Afghanistan.
EU court: Child refugees can apply to bring their families
Refugees who enter the European Union alone as minors can apply to be reunited with their families, even if they reach legal adulthood before the end of the process, the EU's top court ruled today (12 April).
Mogherini discusses future of Afghanistan at Central Asia forum
EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini arrived in the Uzbek capital Tashkent yesterday (26 March) and met with the foreign ministers of the five Central Asian countries, ahead of a conference on Afghanistan under the heading "Peace process, security cooperation and regional connectivity" which takes place today.
Minister: Central Asia can be a model of peace, security and cooperation
In a wide-ranging interview, Galymzhan Koisybayev, deputy minister of foreign affairs of Kazakhstan, told EURACTIV about the results of a recent summit of the Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan) and the past and the future of regional cooperation.
Astana hosts little-publicised Central Asia summit
Only a couple of years ago, a summit of the five Central Asia countries would have been absolutely unthinkable. But the leaders came together on Thursday (15 March) and decided to hold such meetings annually, always at the same time of the year, which is a major holiday in the region.
Better schooling for Afghan refugee children in Iran
School is not a right for Afghan child refugees in Iran. However, the recent establishment of an education programme has helped improve the situation, EURACTIV’s partner EuroEfe reports.
Guterres highlights cooperation potential of Central Asia with Afghanistan
UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted on Friday (21 January) the potential of the five countries of Central Asia for addressing the threats of violent extremism and transnational organised crime in Afghanistan. For its part, Kazakhstan has suggested building an economic and security partnership with Afghanistan.
From Mandela to Malala: Sakharov winners that won the Nobel Peace prize
Four laureates of the European Parliament’s Sakharov prize for freedom of thought, an award established in 1988 and named after the Soviet physicist and dissident Andrei Sakharov, also won the Nobel for peace. EURACTIV Spain reports.
Amnesty condemns forced returns of Afghan asylum seekers
A surge of failed Afghan asylum seekers forcibly returned from Europe are at risk of torture, kidnapping and death in war-torn Afghanistan, Amnesty International said today (5 October).
Time to consider refugee protection in partnerships with third countries
On World Refugee Day and just before the European Council, we call on the EU and its member states to assess the impact of the Partnership Framework approach on the right to seek and enjoy asylum, writes Denis Haveaux.
German army insists country supports NATO defensive action
German army research shows that German citizens would support NATO military action in defence of a fellow alliance member, in stark contrast to another study that said the very opposite.
NATO plans ‘feel-good meeting’ to impress Trump
Ribbon-cutting, jets overhead and a dinner in a new, billion-dollar headquarters: Donald Trump's first meeting at NATO on Thursday (24 May) is being choreographed to impress a US president who called the Western alliance "obsolete"
France, Germany resist US plan for bigger NATO role against Islamic State
France and Germany are resisting a plan by US officials for NATO to take a bigger role in the fight against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, in line with calls from President Donald Trump for the alliance to do more to combat terrorism.
Chasing Donald Tusk
Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) would like to destroy Donald Tusk, the personal enemy of its leader, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, according to Roman Imielski.
Making a stop in Serbia, part I: The killer journey
Every day, hundreds of refugees enter Serbia. Most of them hope to cross to Hungary and eventually reach the West. But Syrians, Iraqis, and Afghans arrive only to get stuck at the border. EURACTIV Romania reports.
Senior Arab diplomat derides EU migrant discourse
A distinguished Arab diplomat remarked that EU politicians and think tank representatives did not make use of keywords such as “Iraq” or “Islam” while discussing the Union’s relations with its neighbours and the refugee crisis for several hours.
Commission to ‘look seriously’ at Euronews mess
EXCLUSIVE / The European Commission has finally decided to “look seriously” at the many problems plaguing Euronews, the TV station created in 1992 as a “European response” to CNN, according to official letters seen by Euractiv.com.
German regions stop sending rejected asylum seekers back to Afghanistan
More and more of Germany's regions are halting the deportation of rejected asylum seekers to Afghanistan, as the situation in the conflict-torn country worsens. Euractiv Germany reports.
#WelcomeToEurope?
People across Europe have fervently opposed US President Donald Trump’s ban on various groups of refugees and citizens. But EU leaders, and citizens, must not forget that policies imposed by EU members states are causing thousands of people to suffer every day, warns Philippa Nuttall Jones.
Visegrád and migration: Few prospects for a change in position
With Slovakia handing over the EU presidency to Malta and agreement on a new EU asylum system out of sight, the Visegrád Group remains in opposed to compulsory refugee relocation. EURACTIV Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland, and Budapest's Political Capital, report.