Compte rendu in extenso des débats

Jeudi 14 décembre 2017 - Strasbourg

9.6. Situation en Afghanistan (RC-B8-0678/2017, B8-0678/2017, B8-0679/2017, B8-0680/2017, B8-0681/2017, B8-0682/2017, B8-0683/2017, B8-0684/2017)

Mündliche Erklärungen zur Abstimmung

  Daniel Hannan (ECR). – Mr President, it is an extraordinary thing when we think of the blood and treasure that was poured into Afghanistan in an attempt to keep out other countries one way or another, the huge damage done to that state because of rival powers attempting to gain influence there. The one thing that was never really properly tried, and which still has not been tried, is properly integrating Afghanistan into the world economy, allowing the institutions of private property and free contract to flourish there. We are still, I am afraid, playing these Great Game power politics which end up treating the ethnic groups and the tribes of Afghanistan as pawns rather than as constructs made up of individuals, each with their own interests in markets and success.

I hope that the time for Afghanistan will come. May I, while I am on my feet, take this opportunity to thank you, Mr President, for all the work you have done in the chair over the year, and wish you a very merry Christmas and extend the same to your officials and to the interpreters.

  Andrejs Mamikins (S&D). – Mr President, we Europeans have been engaged in the state-building and development of Afghanistan for many years already. However, we have still failed to address the root causes of insecurity in the country. One month ago the Latvian Government decided to increase its military contingency in Afghanistan, which currently counts 24 military experts. But a further increase of military presence in Afghanistan will not get us anywhere if we do not address the issues of drug and mineral extraction that serves to finance the Taliban and other extremist organisations.

If you want our development efforts in Afghanistan to be successful we firstly need to contribute to security building and we need to take steps in preventing radicalisation, fighting corruption and establishing a strong and independent civil society. We should not forget that it is Afghanistan that should have the ownership of its economic and political processes. Therefore we should particularly support local initiatives and support the infrastructures to improve its citizens’ participation in political life.