Afghanistan
International Development Committee
Closed
Inquiry
Report published We have now published our Report and found that the UK Government failed to work effectively or quickly enough to provide support for aid workers and the Afghan people, says a new report from the International Development Committee - Afghanistan: UK support for aid workers and the Afghan …
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16
Recommendations
8
Conclusions
1
Report
1
Oral session
1
Event
Activity timeline 4 events
19 May
2022
2022
4 Mar
2022
2022
7 Dec
2021
2021
Oral evidence
7 Dec
2021
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 5, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
7 Dec 2021
View on parliament.uk
Afghanistan
Alain Délétroz · Geneva Call
Elizabeth Winter · British & Irish Agencies Afghanistan Group (BAAG)
James Cowan · The HALO Trust
Reports 1 report · click to expand
| Title | HC No. | Published | Items | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK support for aid workers and the A… | HC 919 | 4 Mar 2022 | 24 | Responded |
Recommendations & Conclusions
10 results
1
Conclusion
Accepted
Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK sup…
We understand that the FCDO has reasons for clearly defining and limiting its liability in...
We understand that the FCDO has reasons for clearly defining and limiting its liability in respect of its contractual relationships with its external partners. However, we believe that events in Afghanistan have clearly illustrated that the Government’s policies should encompass …
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Government Response
The government stands by its duty of care obligations to those whom it employs directly, and the FCDO publishes travel advice to reflect the security situation in each country.
3
Recommendation
Accepted
Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK sup…
We recommend that the FCDO take steps to better identify and assess the particular risks...
We recommend that the FCDO take steps to better identify and assess the particular risks facing aid workers so that it can respond more effectively to those aid workers when they are in need of support in countries or regions …
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Government Response
The government already publishes travel advice reflecting the security situation, available to all including external partners, and committed to consistent safety and security advice.
9
Recommendation
Accepted
Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK sup…
We are very concerned about the time the Government has taken to disburse the UK...
We are very concerned about the time the Government has taken to disburse the UK aid it has pledged to Afghanistan, given the considerable and escalating humanitarian need in the country. The Government should have worked faster to disburse the …
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Government Response
The FCDO phases aid against developing needs, partners' capability to implement, and responds to aid agencies' appeals, ensuring funds are spent responsibly, engaging with partners and providing funding.
11
Recommendation
Accepted
Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK sup…
We urge the FCDO to release more information on its Development Tracker web pages to...
We urge the FCDO to release more information on its Development Tracker web pages to better ensure the transparency of reporting on the ODA funding it has allocated to projects in Afghanistan (if necessary, redacting parts of that information to …
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Government Response
Information and documents relating to the majority of funding in 2021/22 has been redacted and re-uploaded to Development Tracker, and new or recently amended programmes are currently being redacted for publication as soon as possible.
12
Recommendation
Accepted
Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK sup…
We urge the FCDO to update information on all ODA allocations (for all countries) on...
We urge the FCDO to update information on all ODA allocations (for all countries) on Development Tracker within a three-month period of those allocations having been made. (Paragraph 63) Other factors affecting the humanitarian situation and the disbursal of aid
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Government Response
The government states that all financial contributions to partners will be published on the Development Tracker within three months, and in most cases much more quickly, with any potentially sensitive information redacted, as the Tracker is directly linked with FCDO's financial systems.
13
Conclusion
Accepted
Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK sup…
The Government has been far too slow to work with its international counterparts to find...
The Government has been far too slow to work with its international counterparts to find ways to help unblock the banking system in Afghanistan. This has put at grave risk the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan. …
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Government Response
The government has been discussing the banking crisis with international partners and the UN since September 2021, secured UNSCR 2615, passed this into domestic legislation, updated UK guidance, and worked to provide assurance to financial institutions, and established mechanisms including co-leading a working group with the World Bank.
14
Recommendation
Accepted
Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK sup…
The UK Government should be taking more urgent steps to collaborate with its international counterparts,...
The UK Government should be taking more urgent steps to collaborate with its international counterparts, economists, representatives of the banking sector and aid organisations to find ways to help address more rapidly the banking crisis in Afghanistan to ease the …
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Government Response
The government has been discussing the banking crisis with international partners and the UN since September 2021, secured UNSCR 2615, passed this into domestic legislation, updated UK guidance, and worked to provide assurance to financial institutions, and established mechanisms including co-leading a working group with the World Bank.
15
Conclusion
Accepted
Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK sup…
We recognise the necessity of having to work with the Taliban.
We recognise the necessity of having to work with the Taliban. We endorse the Government’s policy of developing a pragmatic working relationship with the Taliban to enable humanitarian aid to reach the people of Afghanistan.
Government Response
FCDO officials continue to engage in pragmatic dialogue with the Taliban. The UK has opened a temporary UK Mission to Afghanistan in Doha to lead diplomatic engagement.
18
Recommendation
Accepted
Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK sup…
We call on the Government to ensure that it maintains its focus on working to...
We call on the Government to ensure that it maintains its focus on working to try and ensure that the Taliban adopts a moderate position whereby it commits to behaving pragmatically towards the inclusion of women, girls and other minority …
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Government Response
The Government states that it regularly consults with Afghan women to inform its policy and programming response, aims for at least 50% of aid recipients to be women and girls, funds child protection and gender-based violence services, and will continue to meet with Afghan women.
23
Conclusion
Accepted
Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK sup…
We welcome the steps the Government has taken to help free up the funds from...
We welcome the steps the Government has taken to help free up the funds from the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund. However, the World Bank’s progress on releasing those funds has been agonizingly slow. Political and bureaucratic wrangling is impeding the …
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Government Response
The UK has been a leading voice supporting the repurposing of the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund. They were instrumental in supporting the announcement of 10 December 2021 transferring out $280 million of available funds to support the World Food Programme and UNICEF.
Government Response AI assessment · 24 of 16 classified
Accepted
10
Acknowledged
10
Rejected
1
Total
16 recs + 8 conclusions