(Last Updated On: May 25, 2021)
The Taliban on Tuesday pledged to provide a “safe environment” to foreign diplomats and aid organizations after Australia announced it would close its embassy over security concerns.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan assures all foreign diplomats and staff of humanitarian organizations that (we) will not pose any threats to them,” Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem told AFP.
“We will provide a safe environment for their activities,” he said.
Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday the embassy in Kabul will close this week, underscoring fears about the “increasingly uncertain security environment” in Kabul as foreign troops withdraw.
Government to deliver first new PoR smartcards to Afghan refugees
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ISLAMABAD, 25 May 2021 – Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) issued today the first new biometric identity smartcards to Afghan refugees registered in the country.
The new Proof of Registration (PoR) cards are legally recognized proof of identity and include enhanced security features.
This card issuance is part of the government-led and UNHCR-supported Documentation Renewal and Information Verification Exercise (DRIVE).
This exercise is currently verifying the information of 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan and will issue them with new PoR smartcards based on the same technology used for Pakistani citizen identification cards.
ISLAMABAD: The government, with the support of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, has launched a nationwide verification exercise for 1.4 million Afghan refugees.
Minister for States and Frontier Regions Mehboob Sultan launched the Documentation Renewal and Information Verification Exercise (Drive) here on Thursday.
UNHCR Representative Noriko Yoshida and Chief Commissioner for Afghan Refugees Saleem Khan were present on the occasion.
During the six-month exercise, registered Afghan refugees who currently hold Proof of Registration (PoR) cards will be provided with new smartcards.
“The Drive exercise is a leap forward for everyone,” Ms Yoshida said while welcoming its launch. “This step will allow refugees to have better, faster and safer access to services, including schools, hospitals and banks,” she said.
Islamabad: The Pakistan government has launched a nationwide campaign to verify and update the data of around 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees who will receive new smart identity cards.
The large-scale verification of refugees is being undertaken after 10 years in the country to boost Pakistan’s efforts to enhance protection for refugees. The Chief Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees (CCAR) at the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) and the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), and UNHCR, will be involved in the verification and document renewal process.
DRIVE verification process
The Documentation Renewal and Information Verification Exercise (DRIVE) was launched in Islamabad on April 15. Federal Minister for SAFRON Mehboob Sultan, the UNHCR representative Noriko Yoshida, and Chief Commissioner for Afghan Refugees Saleem Khan attended the ceremony. During the six-month exercise, NADRA will verify and update the data of registered Afghan refuge
UNHCR Asia and the Pacific COVID-19 External Update (9 April 2021)
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Regional
Eleven countries in Asia-Pacific are COVID-19 Vaccines Advance Market Commitment countries and will be receiving vaccines through the COVAX facility free of charge for 20% of their population. Afghanistan and Nepal have received consignments of COVID-19 vaccine doses (468,000 and 348,000 doses respectively) through the COVAX facility
South-West Asia
Afghanistan
Afghanistan has received 968,000 doses (500,000 doses from India and 468,000 doses received through COVAX) and vaccinated 484,000 persons. The World Bank has also approved USD 60 million from the International Development Association to help Afghanistan purchase COVID-19 vaccines, as well as additional financing of USD 113 million, which will help reach more than 17% of Afghans. Further support from the Asian Development Bank is expected to fund the purchase of vaccines for an additional 11% of the Afghan people.