On August 3, 2021, the United States released a program to accept Afghan immigrants. The program relied on refugees traveling to other countries temporarily until they complete the entry and residency procedures to move to the US. In turn, the US sought participation from different countries to receive refugees during this period, especially after the Taliban took control of Kabul and the number of asylum-seeker Afghans soared.
Here, the reactions to the crisis varied between countries until the solution emerged from Qatar.
*What were the conceptions and reactions to the program? How was the Qatari solution to deal with the crisis implemented?*
Countries Between Acceptance and Rejection
Many countries refused to receive refugees on their territories, while others offered open arms. This situation was a result of various perspectives.
1. Austria Refuses Refugees
The Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer pointed out that Afghans whose asylum requests had previously been rejected by Austria cannot be welcomed due to the restrictions of the European Convention on Human Rights. He acknowledged the need to consider other available options, proposing the establishment of refugee centers in Afghanistan’s neighboring countries.
2. Greece Sits on the Fence
The Greek Minister of Citizen Protection, Michalis Chrisochoidis, stated that the changes in Afghanistan would create new geopolitical realities. Greece decided to build a 40-km-long wall along its border with Turkey to protect itself from waves of refugees.
3. Kosovo and Albania Agree to Receive Refugees
Kosovo and Albania agreed to temporarily receive Afghan refugees in exchange for economic and political advantages from the US.
4. Turkey Refuses to Receive Refugees
On September 2, 2021, Turkey’s FM Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu stated that Turkey would reject any EU offer to host refugees in exchange for money. However, he welcomed using Turkey as a transit point for evacuation flights, emphasizing Turkey’s support in this regard.
5. France Refuses to Receive Refugees
French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that Europe must protect itself from immigration waves from Afghanistan. However, several left-wing mayors expressed their willingness to host Afghan refugees, urging the French government to show solidarity.
6. Britain Pledges to Receive 5,000 Refugees
The UK government pledged to receive 5,000 Afghan refugees during the first year, with the potential to increase this number to 20,000 in the long term.
7. Iran Backs Away from Establishing Refugee Camps
Iran initially planned to set up temporary refugee camps but reversed its decision due to fears of increased immigration waves.
8. Switzerland Hedges on Receiving Immigrants
Switzerland’s government announced it would not process Afghan asylum applications, prioritizing aid within Afghanistan and the evacuation of local employees from its office in Kabul.
9. Tajikistan Refuses Refugees
Tajikistan rejected European offers to host Afghan refugees, citing a lack of infrastructure.
10. South Africa Refuses Refugees
South Africa declined requests to receive Afghan refugees, stating that it already hosts a large number of refugees who receive free aid and medical care.
11. Hungary and Serbia Refuse Refugees
Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán and Serbian counterpart Anna Brnabich stated that their countries would prevent refugee entry to protect Europe, as refugees aim to reach Germany.
12. EU Conflicts on Refugee Policy
EU Justice and Interior Ministers debated responses to the Afghan refugee crisis, pledging support for Afghanistan’s neighboring countries to avoid a new wave of immigration to the EU.
The emergence of Qatari solution
On August 24, 2021, the Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby briefed the press that the US had reached an agreement with Qatar to receive 8,000 applicants for the Special Afghan Immigrant Visa (SIV) and their family members.
Later on November 12, 2021, the agreement was confirmed through a MOU signed between Qatar and the US regarding Qatar’s temporary hosting of Afghan refugees.
On August 30, 2021, Qatar participated in the G7 Ministerial Meeting on Afghanistan via videoconference with Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Turkey, the UK, the EU, and NATO.
The Taliban also requested Qatar to provide civilian technical assistance for Kabul airport once the withdrawal of US forces is concluded. Along the same lines, the UN agencies also requested Qatar’s assistance and support to deliver aid to Afghanistan.
In parallel, the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced that the US had halted its diplomatic presence in Kabul and transferred its operations to Doha in Qatar, where the US Embassy in Afghanistan would carry out its activities from Doha, which includes consular affairs, managing humanitarian aid, and working with allies to coordinate engagement and communication with the Taliban.
Summing up Qatar’s efforts, the Qatari FM Assistant, Loloah Al Khater, highlighted services Qatar had provided to assist in the evacuation operation, including:
- Qatar succeeded in securing passage to Kabul airport for about 3,000 people, and air transportation for about 1,500 people after receiving requests from international organizations and checking their names.
- Qatar participated in the most sensitive rescue efforts in Afghanistan, and succeeded in conducting the operation with only a few hundred troops and its own military aircrafts. Qatar also evacuated a girls’ boarding school, a robotics team made up of girls and journalists working for international media agencies, among others.
- Qatar dealt with all the variables and difficult factors in the process of transporting refugees, which included the presence of checkpoints on the American side, the British side, the NATO side, and the Turkish side.
- Qatar built an emergency field hospital, additional shelters, and mobile toilets.
- Qatar Airways provided 10 aircrafts to transport people evacuated from Doha to other countries.
- The Qatari military distributed 50,000 meals daily, and more through local charities.
Canada joins the US evacuation operation
On August 31, 2021, Canada joined the joint US international evacuation mission, stating that it would receive some Afghan refugees who were waiting in the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar with Canada becoming an additional designated refugee resettlement site to relieve pressure on Qatar. On the other hand, Qatar, through its prime channels with the Taliban, will be able to help Canada negotiate the return of its citizens.
Thus, Qatar has contributed various efforts with its resources and relationships to provide the appropriate solution to the Afghan refugee crisis.
