French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed on Saturday Qatar’s help to organize the evacuation of 258 Afghans, “threatened because of their commitments” or “their links with France”, who will be repatriated to France. after passing through Doha.
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“I thank Qatar for the role it has played since the start of the crisis and which has made it possible to organize several evacuations,” said Emmanuel Macron, who met with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al on Friday evening. -Thani on the second day of his Gulf tour.
An aircraft chartered by Paris evacuated 258 Afghans “particularly threatened because of their commitments, especially journalists, or their links with France, including former civilian local recruiting staff of our armies (PCRL)”, a announced Friday the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 11 French and about sixty Dutch and their dependents were also evacuated by the same flight.
According to Paris, “since September 10, 110 French people and their dependents as well as 396 Afghans to be placed in protection have been evacuated on 10 separate flights organized by Qatar”, adds the ministry. “We will continue,” said Emmanuel Macron.
The French president also indicated that a reflection was underway for several European countries to jointly open a representation site in Kabul after the departure of the ambassadors following the fall of the capital in August at the hands of the Taliban.
Emmanuel Macron also discussed with Emir Al-Thani the issues of the fight against terrorism and the financing of Muslim worship in France, insisting on “the need to protect religious practice from any form of instrumentalisation”, according to the Elysium. “Bilateral cooperation has improved a lot,” said Emmanuel Macron.
He also discussed preparations for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the issue of labor law in this country, calling for “to continue the dialogue on this subject, which has already enabled important reforms”, according to the Elysee.
NGO reports accuse Qatar of exploiting foreign workers, especially in stadium construction. The country vigorously rejects these criticisms, stressing that it has reformed its labor law and introduced a minimum wage.
Emmanuel Macron was expected at midday in Jeddah, the great port city of Saudi Arabia, for a delicate meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed ben Salman (MBS), whose international image was strongly tarnished by the assassination in 2018 by Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.