Italy's premier Mario Draghi and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday looked at how European countries can help safeguard human rights in Afghanistan and its most vulnerable, especially women, following the Taliban's seizure of power.
"In light of the worsening of the situation on the ground in Afghanistan and in the framework of ongoing international contacts on the crisis, Prime Minister Draghi had this morning a phone conversation with the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Angela Merkel," Draghi's office said in a statement.
"During the call the two leaders discussed the humanitarian protection of those who have cooperated with Italian and German institutions over the years, and of the most vulnerable categories, in particular, Afghan women," the statement continued.
The two leaders assessed possible European Union, G7 and G20 initiatives to stabilise Afghanistan and to preserve the human rights and freedoms gained during the 20-year-long presence of international forces in the war-torn country, the statement noted.
