Declaration of MoRR related to stop of forced return from Europe temporarily

The escalation of violence by the terrorist group of Taliban in the country and the spread of the third wave of the COVID-19 have caused much economic and social unrest and created many challenges for the people.

Considering the security situation in the country, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations is concerned about the return of Afghan migrants and does not consider the current situation in the country condusive for the forced return of Afghan migrants until the security situation improves.

The leadership of the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations has repeatedly expressed its strong reservations with host countries and international agencies in this regard.

Therefore, as a result of these efforts and after the consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the National Security Council, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations has stopped the forced return of Afghan migrants from the EU and other European countries for the next three months.

The Afghan government has officially informed the host countries to stop the deportation from 08 July 2021 onwards.

The Government of Afghanistan took this action in relation to the Joint Declaration between Afghanistan and the European Union on Cooperation in the Field of Migration (JDMC), the Joint Declaration with Germany on Cooperation in the Field of Migration, and the bilateral and trilateral Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Sweden, Norway, Finland, and France as well as Denmark, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

Additionally, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations considers forced return as inappropriate in light of the increasing number of internally displaced people and due to aforementioned deteriorating security situation which led to a new wave of migration abroad.