Vienna, Austria: The fall of the national government in Afghanistan and the forceful takeover by the Taliban has given rise to a host of questions around migration and displacement as well as an unfolding humanitarian crisis. The plight of Afghanistan is one of the most pressing issues facing the international community today. Against this background a dedicated session devoted to Afghanistan was held at the Vienna Migration Conference 2021 yesterday. High level speakers highlighted the challenges facing Afghanistan as well as the opportunities and strategies to shape the country’s future.
A key theme was finding strategies to build migration partnerships within the country and with the international community. It was underlined that these should respond to both the ongoing and future situation in Afghanistan as well as address the crisis which is threatening the wider region.
These topics were echoed in our Webinar held last week on the Situation in Afghanistan – Implications for the Silk Routes region and what comes next? Discussions focused on exploring what can be done to enhance protection of Afghans that have been displaced, both internally and externally, or those at risk of displacement; law enforcement cooperation and border management needed to anticipate an increase in illicit activities in the region in relation to migrant smuggling and human trafficking; re-examining return, reintegration, and resettlement programmes by adapting them to match the new circumstances on the ground. The Webinar also covered the possible need for Afghanistan’s neighbours to engage with the new regime from a functional and pragmatic perspective in order to restore socio-economic stability
