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Afghan govt signs repatriation agreements with Pakistan
Kabul, Mar 23: Afghanistan signed repatriation agreements this week with Pakistan and the Netherlands, calling for each country to assist in the voluntary return of Afghan refugees, a UN spokeswoman said today.
Kabul, Mar 23: Afghanistan signed repatriation agreements this week with Pakistan and the Netherlands, calling for each country to assist in the voluntary return of Afghan refugees, a UN spokeswoman said today.
Afghanistan signed a tripartite agreement in Brussels on Monday with Pakistan and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR spokeswoman Maki Shinohara said.
The Pakistan agreement is aimed at ensuring refugees return ``voluntarily and gradually,'' Shinohara said.
“As a result of a yearlong discussion, the three parties affirmed their commitments to assist the voluntary return of Afghan refugees in Pakistan for the next three years,'' Shinohara said.
Millions of refugees fled Afghanistan following the 1979 Soviet invasion, which set off nearly a quarter century of warfare.
Between 4 million and 5 million refugees were believed to have been living outside the country before they started returning in droves after a US-led bombing campaign ousted the hard-line Taliban regime in late 2001.
In 2002, about 1.8 million refugees returned home, 1.5 million of them from neighboring Pakistan. The United Nations estimates about 1.5 million remain there.
On Tuesday, Afghanistan's government signed a separate repatriation agreement in The Hague with the Netherlands, which is hosting about 40,000 Afghan refugees.
"The Dutch government agreed to assisting the Afghans who wish to return, while continuing to host up until April 2004 those who do not return at this time,'' Shinohara said.
The UNHCR signed similar agreements with France, Britain and Iran last year.
Bureau Report
Between 4 million and 5 million refugees were believed to have been living outside the country before they started returning in droves after a US-led bombing campaign ousted the hard-line Taliban regime in late 2001.
In 2002, about 1.8 million refugees returned home, 1.5 million of them from neighboring Pakistan. The United Nations estimates about 1.5 million remain there.
On Tuesday, Afghanistan's government signed a separate repatriation agreement in The Hague with the Netherlands, which is hosting about 40,000 Afghan refugees.
"The Dutch government agreed to assisting the Afghans who wish to return, while continuing to host up until April 2004 those who do not return at this time,'' Shinohara said.
The UNHCR signed similar agreements with France, Britain and Iran last year.
Bureau Report