October's Global Issue Briefing: The Afghanistan Refugee Crisis

Thousands of people are scrambling to leave Afghanistan after the Taliban seized control of the country, almost two decades after they were ousted by a US-led coalition.

The United Nations has warned that up to half a million Afghans may flee by the end of the year, and has urged neighboring nations to keep their borders open to accommodate the influx of migrants. The current situation adds to the 2.2 million Afghan refugees already living in neighboring countries, with 3.5 million more displaced within Afghanistan's borders.

The US-led air evacuation operation came to an end on August 31st, with the last flight departing Kabul airport shortly after midnight - the Taliban's agreed-upon deadline for Western forces to leave. Many of those flown out of the country were sent to emergency processing centers set up in Spain, Germany, Qatar, and Uzbekistan, among other countries.

So what are countries doing to help?

Well, the UN has called on its member states to help Afghan people in "their darkest hour of need" but while some countries have offered refugees a safe haven, many have indicated they will not be giving sanctuary to those fleeing the crisis.

Both Pakistan and Iran have said that they cannot deal with a further influx of Afghan refugees. Officials in these countries have told media that refugees who do come will have to camp near the border until they can return to Afghanistan.

Uzbekistan has stated that it will assist in the movement of Afghans to third countries but will only host refugees briefly. The Tajikistan government has committed to welcome up to 100,000 refugees, but it is unknown whether any have been admitted. Turkmenistan has stated that its airspace is available for evacuation flights, but it has made no promise to take in migrants.

However, there is more promise in the European Union, as France, which evacuated more than 2,800 people from Kabul airport, mostly Afghans, has indicated it will accept some refugees but has not specified a number. Germany has also not specified a number but Chancellor Angela Merkel has said as many as 40,000 people still in the country may have a right to be evacuated to Germany if they feel they are endangered.

Other EU countries, like Austria, Poland and Switzerland have said they will not accept any new Afghan arrivals and are upping their border security to guard against illegal arrivals.

Finally, the United Kingdom has stated that it will accept 5,000 Afghans in 2021 as part of a scheme to resettle 20,000 over the next few years, with a concentration on those most at risk from the Taliban.

What is the issue?

However, the question of how the hundreds of thousands of refugees who remain will be able to flee remains unanswered. Since January 2021, an estimated 600,000 Afghans have been internally displaced, largely due to insecurity and violence. Women and girls have been particularly devastated by the fighting, with women and children accounting for 80 percent of newly displaced Afghans. Food, water, shelter, health care, livelihood possibilities, and cash aid are among the immediate needs of individuals who have been forced to evacuate. Aside from the immediate needs of people who have lately been forced to escape, continuous conflict, high levels of displacement, the impact of COVID-19, natural calamities, and rising poverty have all pushed Afghan society to its breaking point. The problem now is to create a solution that is not only inclusive, but also helps to improve the standard of living for these evacuees before the situation gets any worse than it already is.

Possible avenues to explore:

• Partnerships

• Assistance

• Donations

• Awareness

• Fundraisers

• Any other creative ideas on how to contribute to the cause/solve the problem

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