Near and Middle East
As Chair of the Delegation for Relations with the Arabian Peninsula and a close partner of women and human rights organisations in Iraq, Afghanistan or Iran, I often travel to the Near and Middle East. Talking to those in power there is often a balancing act. We need to exchange with them, for example, to organise humanitarian aid or to fight the climate crisis. But it is just as important to clearly name those who commit human rights violations, to support civil society on the ground and to show solidarity with those who stand up for democracy and human rights, even when faced with tough opposition. For me, one thing is clear: a values-driven foreign policy tries to do justice to these different goals as best as it can.
And in doing so, we must not omit another issue: Worldwide, most military equipment is exported to the Near and Middle East. If you need proof that more weapons do not lead to more peace and security, countries like Yemen, Syria or Afghanistan are the best examples. In this context, we must critically rethink our own export policy.
Assad is gone - a historic opportunity for Syria. How Germany and the EU can support Syrians in processing the oppression and violence of the Assad regime and in rebuilding of the country:
Screening of The Sharp Edge of Peace at the European Parliament: The film follows four Afghan women—Fatima Gailani, Fawzia Koofi, Habiba Sarabi, and Sharifa Zurmati — in their courageous peace negotiations with the Taliban, showing their relentless fight for peace and justice under challenging circumstances.
The case of Jamshid Sharmahd shows that we need a resolute Iran policy which puts human rights and democracy above economic interests. What this means:
An increasing number of authoritarian regimes are using these methods to persecute dissidents abroad. A particularly striking example is Iran.
The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Iraq, notably the situation of women’s rights and the recent proposal to amend the Personal Status Law.
The resolution passed by the European Parliament in response to the Taliban’s adoption of the law on the “Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice”.
We urgently need a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza - and the EU must put pressure on all those who oppose this.
2024 is a year of many crises and conflicts around the world. And more than half of the world's population will be voting in 2024. It was against this backdrop that the MSC took place in February. I took part in two panels.
Israel hat das Recht auf Selbstverteidigung und die Befreiung der Geiseln – gleichzeitig haben die Zivilist*innen in Gaza das Recht auf Schutz und humanitäre Hilfe. Wie kann beides erreicht werden?
Following the Houthi attacks on container ships in the Red Sea, the EU must respond. However, it is imperative that we take the voices of the Yemen in Yemen into account!
In December, together with the Delegation to the Arabian Peninsula, I travelled to Yemen - a country suffering from a terrible war that receives almost no international attention. This was the European Parliament's first official visit to Yemen since 2009.
More and more important decisions are being taken at EU level. As a result, attempts by third countries to exert influence legally – but also illegally – are increasing. I called for these countermeasures in my plenary speech:
