Augsburger Allgemeine, 27 December 2024
In this preview of the South German daily on possible crises in 2025, AAN’s Thomas Ruttig is quoted on Afghanistan (in the original in German):
The Taleban have ruled Kabul since the summer of 2021. Thomas Ruttig, an expert on the country, says in an interview with our editorial team that a large part of the population – around 50 per cent according to the UN – is still dependent on external aid. ‘The free fall of the economy has stopped. But despite the slight economic recovery, the main problem is still the population’s low income.’ This winter, too, around a quarter of Afghans are threatened by a hunger catastrophe, which has been averted in recent years by external aid with scarce resources.
Politically, the situation is almost unchanged. Germany has ruled out recognising the Taliban government. Nevertheless, there are diplomatic contacts. ‘Deportations, which Germany wants to continue to carry out, play an important role here. I find it questionable that this is the priority of German policy. At the same time, humanitarian aid has been halved,’ criticises Ruttig. He sees little change in the Taliban. The regime is very repressive. If anything, the situation has hardened. There is no significant resistance to those in power. Nevertheless, the West must stay on the ball. ‘Syria shows how quickly the situation can change.’
Revisions:
This article was last updated on 30 Dec 2024
