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The French Ambassador to the UAE promised an Afghan refugee he would look after the bird after she was told she could not take her pet on the onward journey to France.
A mynah bird that was brought from Afghanistan by a girl fleeing the Taliban has learned to say bonjour after finding a new home with French Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Xavier Chatel. Chatel said that he was moved by the little girl, who arrived “exhausted” and carrying the bird, named “Juji,” at the Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE during the chaotic evacuations from Kabul. The girl was left in tears after being told that she could not take her pet on the outbound journey to France for “sanitary reasons,” Chatel said in a series of posts on
Xavier Chatel has been looking after the bird in the United Arab Emirates.
Juji the mynah now lives at the ambassador's residence in Abu Dhabi, and can even tweet "bonjour".
DUBAI: It may not be among the usual tasks for a top diplomat, but the French ambassador to the UAE has found himself caring for a pet bird left behind by an Afghan refugee girl. Xavier Chatel took in the bird after the girl, named Alia, was forced to abandon her pet when she arrived in Abu Dhabi from Kabul during the chaotic evacuations in August after the Taliban takeover.