Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK support for aid workers and the Afghan people
Select Committee
International Development Committee
HC 919
4 March 2022
Recommendations
6 results
2
Acknowledged
Para 14
We believe that the FCDO should consider what moral obligations it has to aid sector...
Recommendation
We believe that the FCDO should consider what moral obligations it has to aid sector workers who deliver UK aid and FCDO aims and objectives. We urge the FCDO to take a broader, more holistic view of its duty of …
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Government Response Summary
The Government stands by its duty of care obligations to those whom it employs directly and publishes travel advice to reflect the security situation in each country.
5
Acknowledged
Para 35
We call on the Government to accelerate without further delay all pathways of the Afghan...
Recommendation
We call on the Government to accelerate without further delay all pathways of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) and ensure that aid sector staff are explicitly recognised and prioritised for protection under the ACRS.
Government Response Summary
The government has already begun resettling families under the ‘first pathway’ of the ACRS, with plans to launch the ‘third pathway’ as soon as possible, under which the government will consider eligible at-risk British Council and GardaWorld contractors and Chevening alumni for resettlement.
16
Acknowledged
Para 78
We urge the Government to maintain its policy of working with the Taliban to enable...
Recommendation
We urge the Government to maintain its policy of working with the Taliban to enable humanitarian aid to reach the people of Afghanistan.
Government Response Summary
The government states that it regularly makes clear to the Taliban that humanitarian aid requires, among other things, no interference with humanitarian operations, unconditional access for aid workers, and the full access for women and girls to services.
20
Acknowledged
Para 89
We urge the UK Government to further step up its efforts on working with the...
Recommendation
We urge the UK Government to further step up its efforts on working with the UN to ensure that aid organisations can effectively operate under the exemptions that UN resolution 2615 (and consequent UK law) permits. It should also urge …
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Government Response Summary
The government continues to consult with aid organisations in the Tri-Sector Group, including on guidance for NGOs working in countries such as Afghanistan, and welcomes the engagement of banks and NGOs with regard to the guidance on sanctions.
22
Acknowledged
Para 93
We welcome the UK’s participation in the Norwegian Government’s talks with the Taliban at the...
Recommendation
We welcome the UK’s participation in the Norwegian Government’s talks with the Taliban at the end of January 2021. We call on the UK Government to press for UN resolution 2615 to be extended, or further resolutions to be adopted, …
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Government Response Summary
The UK will have the opportunity to propose edits to Resolution 2615 when it is reviewed within a year of being adopted, but any edits will need to be negotiated with other members of the Security Council and adopted without a Permanent Member veto.
24
Acknowledged
We ask the Government to do more to encourage the World Bank to swiftly release...
Recommendation
We ask the Government to do more to encourage the World Bank to swiftly release the remaining funds from the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund so that aid organisations can use that money to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of …
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Government Response Summary
The UK supports the release of funds from the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund as soon as possible and continues to work with international partners to support the World Bank in unlocking and repurposing existing funding.
Conclusions (4) Observations and findings — click to expand
4
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 34
We were disappointed about the exclusion from the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme of Afghan aid workers to whom the UK Government had clear lines of moral responsibility, either because they were sub- contracted by the UK Government or employed by aid agencies in receipt of UK aid. …
Government Response Summary
The Home Office retains responsibility for immigration and visa policy. The government states that the capacity of the UK to resettle people is not unlimited, and difficult decisions about who should be prioritised for resettlement are therefore unavoidable.
17
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 83
We stand with the UK Government on seeking to ensure that the rights of women and girls are respected by the Taliban.
Government Response Summary
The government regularly presses the Taliban to respect the rights of women and girls, condemns the decision not to reopen girls’ secondary schools, and supports Afghan women's demands for girls' education.
19
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 88
We welcome the adoption of resolution 2615 at the UN Security Council on 22 December 2021, notwithstanding its limitations, and the UK Government’s adoption of that resolution into UK law.
Government Response Summary
The government continues to consult with aid organisations in the Tri-Sector Group, including on the issue of guidance for NGOs working in countries such as Afghanistan, to address the challenges of delivering aid in high-risk contexts.
21
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 90
The UK Government should consult with representatives of aid organisations to ensure that it has issued adequate guidance on how to operate further to the adoption of UN resolution 2615 into UK law.
Government Response Summary
The government continues to consult with aid organizations in the Tri-Sector Group, including on guidance for NGOs working in countries such as Afghanistan.