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 Afghanistan |  Greece |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| Afghan Embassy, Athens | Greek Embassy, Islamabad,Pakistan |
Diplomatic relations between Afghanistan andGreece have existed for centuries, though the August 2021Talibantakeover of the country has dampened relations.
The first contact betweenGreece and Afghanistan occurred in 330 BC whenAlexander the Great entered the territory of modern-day Afghanistan. While there, Alexander founded several modern day Afghan cities such asAlexandria Arachosia (present dayKandahar),Alexandria Ariana (present dayHerat),Alexandria on the Oxus (Ai-Khanoum) and Alexandria in Opiana (present dayGhazni).[1] Alexander also encountered Greek-speakingBranchidae people who migrated fromMiletus to Afghanistan by order ofXerxes I with whom they sided with.[2] Nearly a hundred years after the death of Alexander, theGreco-Bactrian Kingdom andIndo-Greek Kingdom were founded in Afghanistan by descendants of Greeks who had settled in the area.[3]
TheKandahar Greek Edicts of Ashoka, which are among theMajor Rock Edicts of the Indian EmperorAshoka were written inGreek. They were found in theOld Kandahar. Also, theKandahar Sophytos Inscription is an inscription in Greek made by Sophytos, son of Naratos, in the 2nd century BCE, in the city of Kandahar.
After the collapse of the Greek kingdoms in Afghanistan, there would be almost non-existent contact between Afghanistan and Greece until theOttoman–Hotaki War from 1722 to 1727 when theOttoman Empire (which Greece was part of at the time) fought against Afghan troops to obtain control of all western and northwestern parts of modern-dayIran.[4]
Greece donated funds to increase security at theNational Museum of Afghanistan in 1993 and 1996. They later offered to buy some items and/or store them in Greece for safekeeping, as well as sent funds and experts to help with restoration after theUnited States invasion of Afghanistan.[5]
In 2001, Greece, as a member ofNATO joined theInternational Security Assistance Force and sent troops to fight in theWar in Afghanistan to combat theTaliban andAl-Qaeda.
In 2004, Afghanistan and Greece officially establish diplomatic relations.[6] In December 2017, Afghanistan opened an embassy in Athens, its first ever diplomatic mission in Greece.[7]
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Throughout the years, both nations have signed some bilateral agreements such as an agreement for the establishment of political representation between the two countries (which provides further opportunities for expansion of friendly relations and bilateral cooperation between Afghanistan and Greece). On a yearly basis, Greece provides scholarships for Afghan students in the field of archeology, and for demining training.[8]
Since the war in Afghanistan began in 2001, there have been an increase in Afghan migration to Greece. As the situation in Afghanistan worsened, thousands ofAfghan refugees have entered Greece and sought asylum, however, the majority of migrants in Greece are passing through to other European countries. In 2016, there were approximately 10,000 - 15,000 Afghans residing in Greece, the majority of them with temporary asylum documents and living in refugee camps such asDiavata refugee camp and in others throughout the country. Approximately 2,000 Afghans have settled and are living in Greece, most of them in Athens.[9]
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