The American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) in Doha, Qatar, welcomed 200 Afghan students, marking the first time that students have been able to attend the university since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.
In a tweet on 20 August, Karen Decker wrote, “Humbled to welcome 200 inspiring young Afghans students to @AUAfghanistan’s Doha Campus. Afghans need access to a modern education to help build a modern Afghanistan. The U.S. is proud to support hundreds of students in Afghanistan and at regional universities.”
“Debt of gratitude for @QatarFoundationand @QatarFund for their support of students in Doha.”
The students were greeted by the US Ambassador to Afghanistan, Karen Decker, who gave a speech in which she called education the key to Afghanistan’s future.
“We are proud to support the education of these Generations,” Decker said. “They are the future of Afghanistan and deserve the opportunity to reach their full potential.”
The students are enrolled in various business, computer science, and engineering programs. A faculty of Afghan and American professors will teach them.
The AUAF in Doha is a temporary university campus still closed in Afghanistan. The university hopes to be able to reopen in Afghanistan in the future.
In her speech, Decker called on the Taliban to allow all Afghan students to return to school. “Education is a human right, and it is essential for the development of any country,” she said. “The Taliban must allow all Afghan students to return to school, regardless of gender or ethnicity.”
