German FM promises more humanitarian aid for Afghanistan

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he wants to further increase aid for people in need in Afghanistan, reported dpa.

"Germany has already increased its humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and the region by 100 million euros (118 million dollars)," Maas said at a UN donor conference in Geneva on Monday.

"We plan to provide another 500 million euros to support Afghanistan and its neighbouring states."

At the same time, he called on the new rulers in Afghanistan to guarantee safe access for humanitarian aid.

"We urge the Taliban leadership to ensure the well-being and security of humanitarian agencies and their personnel in Afghanistan," Maas said. "Beyond humanitarian aid, our future attitude towards a Taliban government will be dependent not on their words, but rather on their deeds."

Maas insisted that the German government's expectation is that "people for whom we bear responsibility will be able to leave the country. The Taliban must respect basic human rights."

"The formation of a transitional government to the exclusion of other groups last week was not the right signal for international cooperation," Maas said.