Canada will use economic aid as leverage to help ensure the safe passage of those hoping to flee Afghanistan, Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau said as an agreement with the Taliban was announced Sunday. 7:49Asked earlier Sunday about how Canada could exert leverage on the group — which this country considers a terrorist entity — to ensure safe passage, Garneau said it was "primarily economic," citing recently announced humanitarian aid and development aid already committed to Afghanistan. "There's all sorts of leverage with respect to the Taliban, who are now confronting the fact they're in charge and they're going to have to make the country work," Garneau said. There are still thousands of people with links to Canada, including citizens and permanent residents, still in Afghanistan, Garneau said, although he did not provide precise figures. While international negotiations are continuing between other parties, "we have a prime minister and foreign minister who are on the campaign trail in an election that they triggered.

Source: CBC News August 29, 2021 16:53 UTC