Foreign Minister Kaag on working visit to Pakistan

Yesterday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sigrid Kaag met with her Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in Islamabad to discuss the developments in Afghanistan. 

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Minister Kaag and Pakistan Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi

Ms Kaag started by thanking Pakistan for the crucial role it has played in facilitating the evacuations from Afghanistan, and underlined the importance of continuing this role with regard to further evacuations. She said that the Netherlands will continue its efforts to evacuate all those who are eligible to come to the Netherlands.

The minister also confirmed that Dutch officials have held an initial discussion with the Taliban concerning the humanitarian situation and the security situation at Kabul airport.

Ms Kaag and Mr Qureshi also talked about the future of Afghanistan and the current humanitarian situation. Ms Kaag said that the Netherlands will not abandon the Afghan people and that it has pledged a further €10 million to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund.
With a view to the future, the ministers also discussed closer cooperation on migration and the importance of reaching an inclusive political agreement. An inclusive agreement remains the best opportunity to ensure stability in Afghanistan and a sustainable future for all its people.