First priority of UK to settle Afghans will be women, girls and religious and other minorities, who are at most risk
The Government of United Kingdom (U.K.) has announced a new “Afghan Citizen’s Resettlement Scheme” to resettle upto 20,000 Afghan refugees in the U.K.
The U.K. will work with other countries and international partners to firm-up the scheme as it cannot alone make it happen. The new scheme will see upto 5,000 Afghans resettling in U.K. in the first year. The first priority will be women, girls and religious and other minorities, who are at most risk.
Taking it to twitter, the Prime Minister of U.K. – Boris Johnson tweeted,
We have an enduring commitment to the Afghan people, and we will honour it.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) August 18, 2021
A new resettlement scheme will create a safe and legal route for those in most need to come and live safely in the UK.
The Home Secretary of U.K. – Priti Patel tweeted,
Today we launch our new Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme.
— Priti Patel (@pritipatel) August 18, 2021
It will:
✅ Welcome up to 20,000 people forced to flee Afghanistan.
✅ Prioritise women, girls, children & others most in need.
✅ Save lives. pic.twitter.com/qEMFk5bbe4
Thousands of Afghans have been trying to flee the country after Taliban seized control of Kabul. There is complete chaos at the Kabul Airport. People are scrambling to onboard flights to get out of Afghanistan.
She further tweeted,
As a nation we will do everything possible to provide support to the most vulnerable, including women and girls, fleeing Afghanistan so they can start a new life in safety in the UK – away from the tyranny and oppression they face in Afghanistan 👇🏽https://t.co/8tXIl0xYJD
— Priti Patel (@pritipatel) August 18, 2021
Priti Patel also said that the new resettlement scheme is similar to the one introduced for Syrian refugees, which saw 20,000 people resettling in U.K. from 2014 to 2021. She stated that U.K. can bring more than 5,000 people in the first year but then it would be terrible to not be able to give them the support that they would need in terms of accommodation, resettlement and opportunity to build a new life in the U.K.
U.K. acknowledged that there will be several difficulties in getting people out of Afghanistan because of the extent of Taliban control. Government insiders don’t know the extent to which the new regime will allow people to flee if they so choose.
The U.K. has already sent 900 troops to Afghanistan to help evacuate British nationals and Afghans who are eligible to resettle in the U.K. On Tuesday, i.e., August 17, 2021, an RAF plane carrying British nationals and Afghans landed at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire from Kabul. More than 7 planes are being sent to Kabul and the U.K. hopes to fly out 1,000 more people today.
Meanwhile, Boris Johnson also spoke to the President of United States (U.S.) – Joe Biden and both resolved to continue working closely together on this in the days and weeks ahead to allow as many people as possible to leave the country. Johnson also said that NATO’s core mission in Afghanistan of clearing the country of al-Qaeda terrorists has succeeded.
