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Minister James Browne TD, Minister of State at the Department of Justice, represented Ireland today at an extraordinary Council of EU Ministers of Home Affairs in Brussels. The meeting was convened by the Slovenian Presidency, to discuss the migration, security and terrorism aspects of the situation in Afghanistan.
The intention of today’s Council was to have an urgent exchange of views on the challenges created by the current situation in Afghanistan for the EU's migration and security policies. Along with the interventions of Member States, the Commission and the European External Action Service provided an overview of actions being undertaken or planned. Furthermore, EU agencies Frontex, EASO and Europol, as well as the EU Counter Terrorism Coordinator provided input on how the EU can respond to the challenges at hand.
At the Council, a detailed discussion took place on the the worrying situation in Afghanistan and Ministers agreed a joint statement. Speaking at the meeting, the Minister said:
"It is crucial that the EU continue to co-ordinate with international partners, ensuring that humanitarian aid reaches the vulnerable populations, in particular women, children and minorities, in Afghanistan. The concerns of neighbouring countries must also be acknowledged and it is vital that the appropriate supports are provided in the event of mass inflows of displaced Afghanis.
"Ireland will continue to advocate strongly, including on the UN Security Council, for the Afghan people, the protection of civilians, safe and unhindered humanitarian access, and human rights, especially for women and girls, and for minorities. Ireland will also play its part in providing places for Afghan nationals and their families under the Refugee Protection Programme, as well as prioritising applications for family reunification from Afghan nationals living in Ireland. Work is ongoing in this regard between the Departments of Justice, Foreign Affairs and DECIDIY."
Speaking after the meeting, the Minister said:
"This was a timely and productive meeting of Ministers and there was a clear sense of commitment in all interventions that all assistance possible should be provided by the EU to Afghanistan. In addition to the humanitarian and migration dimensions, we are all concerned by the increased security risks posed by developments but it was clear from the discussions today that it is necessary for Member States to act in a coordinated manner to manage this growing threat. Along with partners, we will pursue all efforts to ensure that the Taliban regime ceases all ties with international terrorism and that Afghanistan does not become a sanctuary for terrorist and organised crime groups."
The Presidency Statement on the situation in Afghanistan is available at the following link: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2021/08/31/statement-on-the-situation-in-afghanistan/