Government policy on Afghanistan

Foreign Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 1 Sep 2021 Closed: 29 Jul 2022 Parliament page
International forces withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021, 20 years after the US-led invasion. The Taliban quickly gained control of the country, taking Kabul on 15 August and triggering an immense effort to evacuate UK nationals and others eligible for protection. This inquiry will examine the FCDO’s role in the withdrawal, … Read more
5 Recommendations
14 Conclusions
1 Report
7 Oral sessions
9 Letters
7 Events
Activity timeline 25 events
25 Apr
2022
25 Apr
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
21 Mar
2022
21 Mar
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 7 sessions
Foreign Affairs Committee
Sir Stephen Lovegrove · Ministry of Defence
Foreign Affairs Committee
Nigel Casey MVO · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Sir Philip Barton KCMG OBE · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Foreign Affairs Committee
Admiral Sir Ben Key KCB CBE · Ministry of Defence Nigel Casey MVO · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP · Ministry of Defence The Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Foreign Affairs Committee
Nigel Casey MVO · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Sir Laurie Bristow KCMG Sir Philip Barton KCMG OBE · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Foreign Affairs Committee
Field Marshal the Lord Richards of Herstmonceux GCB CBE DSO DL Kori Schake · American Enterprise Institute Rt Hon Rory Stewart Rudra Chaudhuri · Carnegie India
Foreign Affairs Committee
General David Petraeus (ret.) Laurel Miller · US State Department Professor Michael Semple Shaharzad Akbar · Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission Shukria Barakzai
Foreign Affairs Committee
Rt Hon Dominic Raab
Recommendations & Conclusions
1 result
4 Conclusion Not Addressed
First report - Missing in action: …
Managing a complex evacuation requires Government departments to work together seamlessly, including the FCDO, MOD,...
Managing a complex evacuation requires Government departments to work together seamlessly, including the FCDO, MOD, intelligence agencies, Home Office and Cabinet Office. The National Security Council is “the main forum for collective discussion of the government’s objectives for national security”. … Read more
Government Response
The response details the pace and intensity of cross-government work on Afghanistan, the meetings held, and the planning for Op PITTING and the Evacuation Handling Centre, but does not directly address the failure of the National Security Council to adequately coordinate cross-Government planning and preparation.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 16 of 5 classified

Total 5 recs + 14 conclusions
Correspondence 9 letters
22 Feb 2023 Correspondence from the Permanent Under-Secretary relating to the FCDO’s internal ‘Lessons Learned’ review from the Afghanistan crisis, dated 08/02/2023
Parliament page
24 May 2022 Correspondence from the Permanent Under-Secretary relating to the FCDO’s internal Afghanistan Crisis ‘Lessons Learned’ review, dated 09/03/2022
Parliament page
22 Apr 2022 Correspondence from the National Security Adviser relating to the evacuation of Nowzad staff from Afghanistan, dated 28/03/2022
Parliament page
2 Mar 2022 Correspondence with Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon following up on the FAC oral evidence session on 25 January 2022 relating to Afghanistan, dated 28/02/2022, 23/02/2022 and 07/02/2022
Parliament page
28 Jan 2022 To committee Letter from the Permanent Under-Secretary relating to Afghanistan, dated 27/01/2022
Parliament page
27 Jan 2022 Correspondence with the Permanent Under-Secretary following his appearance before the Committee on 7 December 2021, dated 17/01/2022 and 15/12/2021
Parliament page
24 Nov 2021 Correspondence with the Foreign Secretary relating to Chevening scholars from Afghanistan, dated 27/10/2021 and 12/11/2021
Parliament page
3 Nov 2021 Correspondence with the Foreign Secretary following up on the 1 September evidence session relating to Afghanistan, dated 27/10/2021 and 27/09/2021
Parliament page
21 Sep 2021 Correspondence from the Foreign Secretary following his appearance before the Committee on 1 September 2021, dated 15/09/2021
Parliament page