G7 foreign ministers met on Monday to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and Central Asia. The meeting was chaired by Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi.
According to a press release by the the Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yoshimasa Hayashi expressed serious concern about the worsening humanitarian and human rights situation in Afghanistan. They condemned the Taliban’s recent decisions to restrict women’s rights, including the ban on girls attending secondary school.
The Japanese Foreign Minister, however, stressed on the need to “engage persistently and directly with the Taliban”.
The ministers also called on the Taliban to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms for all Afghans, including women and girls. They stressed the importance of unimpeded access for humanitarian workers and the need to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for terrorists.
