Call for EU to help Afghan scientists

The European People’s Party (EPP) is calling on the European Commission and member states to fund emergency placements for Afghan researchers and academics at European higher education and research institutions, writes Florin Zubascu for Science|Business.

One of the EPP’s lead MEPs, Christian Ehler, said scientists in Afghanistan risk being persecuted by the Taliban, after the Islamist group took over the country when the United States military and its allies pulled out. “Afghan scientists who, with support of the EU and its member states, have worked on a new future for Afghanistan are facing a dangerous future due to the return to power of the Taliban,” said Ehler.

The EPP is echoing a previous call by Scholars at Risk and 50 higher education networks, associations and organisations, urging European governments and EU institutions to help scientists and academics get out of the country.
Full report on the Science|Business site