France reaffirms its solidarity with the Afghan people on the fifth anniversary of the Taliban's takeover

Paris, August 15 (KUNA) -- France reaffirmed today, Saturday, its solidarity with the Afghan people on the fifth anniversary of the Taliban’s takeover of power in Afghanistan. In a statement, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “five years after the Taliban assumed power, France once again reaffirms its firm solidarity with the Afghan people, particularly as, after five years, Afghanistan continues to face a deepening humanitarian, economic, and security crisis that is constantly worsening and threatens regional stability.” The ministry added that “the fundamental rights and freedoms of the population, especially women and girls, are continuously eroding, as they are denied secondary and higher education, while the Taliban is tightening discriminatory laws and measures to completely exclude them from public life.” The ministry strongly condemned those serious human rights violations and called on the Taliban to “respect its international obligations.” It clarified that since 2021, France has been supporting the French Institute of Maternal and Child Health in Kabul, along with numerous non-governmental organizations working for the benefit of the Afghan people, particularly women and children. This support enabled more than 100,000 free medical consultations and the treatment of severe acute malnutrition in over 3,000 children under the age of five in 2025, as well as the provision of high-quality educational services to approximately 35,000 girls. During the same period, France carried out six humanitarian aid delivery operations, including one conducted in partnership with Qatar, which allowed for the dispatch of nearly 100 tons of essential humanitarian aid (particularly medicines), with the most recent operation taking place in April 2026 to combat child malnutrition. The statement outlined several initiatives undertaken by France since 2021, particularly in the education sector, including securing study opportunities for many young men and women in France through scholarships. (End) M.B. / R.J.