MANY EU STATES have responded to the crisis in Afghanistan by beefing up their border security fearing a repeat of the 2015 migrant crisis.
This month The Good Information Project is talking about migration in Ireland and Europe, helping to make sense of policy and explain how the system currently works.
The UNHCR, the UN’s refugee agency, believes up to half a million people could flee Afghanistan by the end of 2021.
The EU has said it will work with Afghanistan’s neighbouring states to help provide “protection, dignified and safe reception conditions and sustainable livelihood” for these refugees.
In reality this will take the form of development aid – large payments to countries like Pakistan where the majority of refugees will end up living.
The EU also plans to cooperate with those countries to prevent “illegal migration from the region, reinforce border management capacity and prevent smuggling of migrants and trafficking in human beings”.
Hungary, Poland and Greece are already beefing up their border security with patrols, fences and barbed wire-topped walls.
Meanwhile, the UK – which is no longer a member of the EU – has announced a “full Afghan citizens’ resettlement scheme”.
Boris Johnson’s government has committed to taking in 5,000 people in the first year and “up to 20,000 over the coming years”.
Last week, there were heated exchanges as EU ministers met with Luxembourg’s Jean Asselborn saying Europe should be doing more.
“It can’t be just the UK that has pledged 20,000 settlements. Europe must also go in that direction,” Asselborn told the meeting.
We want to know: Is the EU doing enough to support Afghan refugees?
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