Opening the door to Afghanistan aid

Views from around the world. These opinions are not necessarily shared by Stuff newspapers.

As far as Catch-22s go, this has to be one of the saddest: A terrorist group controls a country and routinely victimises its own citizens. Aid organisations stand ready to help, but are prevented from doing so because a terrorist group controls the country.

This tragic irony has characterised Canada’s relationship with Afghanistan since the Taliban regained control of the country in 2021: Charities are prepared to deliver aid, but if they do so, they run the risk of violating strict anti-terrorism laws.

Advocates have been calling for the creation of exemptions from those laws since at least 2021. It appears those calls might finally be answered.

This month, the federal government tabled a bill which would authorise an exemption if the organisation provides, among other things, life-saving assistance such as food and shelter or health, education, employment, human rights or immigration services.

Afghanistan has been in desperate need of all of these goods and services since the Taliban swept to power. As the country enters its third consecutive year of drought-like conditions, that aid is needed more than ever.

Given the urgency of the situation, parliament must also fast-track passage of the bill, especially because Canada already lags far behind many countries in creating exemptions.