Select Committee · International Development Committee

Afghanistan

Status: Closed Opened: 23 Nov 2021 Closed: 17 Oct 2022 16 recommendations 8 conclusions 1 report

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 people. Furthermore, the Committee is … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK support for aid workers and … HC 919 4 Mar 2022 24 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

10 items
2 Recommendation Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK support … Acknowledged

We believe that the FCDO should consider what moral obligations it has to aid sector...

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 care to people working in the aid sector. Read more

Government response AI 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.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
4 Conclusion Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK support … Acknowledged

We were disappointed about the exclusion from the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme...

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. … Read more

Government response AI 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.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
5 Recommendation Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK support … Acknowledged

We call on the Government to accelerate without further delay all pathways of the Afghan...

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 AI 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.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
16 Recommendation Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK support … Acknowledged

We urge the Government to maintain its policy of working with the Taliban to enable...

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 AI 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.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
17 Conclusion Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK support … Acknowledged

We stand with the UK Government on seeking to ensure that the rights of women...

We stand with the UK Government on seeking to ensure that the rights of women and girls are respected by the Taliban.

Government response AI 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.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
19 Conclusion Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK support … Acknowledged

We welcome the adoption of resolution 2615 at the UN Security Council on 22 December...

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 AI 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.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
20 Recommendation Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK support … Acknowledged

We urge the UK Government to further step up its efforts on working with the...

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 the UN Security Council to extend those exemptions beyond their … Read more

Government response AI 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.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
21 Conclusion Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK support … Acknowledged

The UK Government should consult with representatives of aid organisations to ensure that it has...

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 AI 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.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
22 Recommendation Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK support … Acknowledged

We welcome the UK’s participation in the Norwegian Government’s talks with the Taliban at the...

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, to provide exemptions for development assistance, closely linked to the … Read more

Government response AI 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.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
24 Recommendation Fifth Report - Afghanistan: UK support … Acknowledged

We ask the Government to do more to encourage the World Bank to swiftly release...

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 Afghanistan. (Paragraph 100) Afghanistan: UK support for aid workers and … Read more

Government response AI 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.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Oral evidence sessions

1 session
Date Witnesses
7 Dec 2021 Alain Délétroz · Geneva Call, Elizabeth Winter · British & Irish Agencies Afghanistan Group (BAAG), James Cowan · The HALO Trust View ↗

Who gave evidence

3 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Alain Délétroz · Director General Geneva Call 1
Elizabeth Winter · Executive Director British & Irish Agencies Afghanistan Group (BAAG) 1
James Cowan · Chief Executive Officer The HALO Trust 1