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Austria strikes deportation deal with Uzbekistan, including returns of Afghans

Austria has already deported several Afghan nationals since last year, signalling a policy shift following the Islamic Emirate takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.

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Austria will sign an agreement with Uzbekistan next month to facilitate deportations, including the return of Afghan nationals via the Central Asian country, Austria’s Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.

The move comes as several European Union member states explore partnerships outside the bloc to manage deportations and establish so-called “return hubs” for failed asylum seekers as part of broader efforts to curb irregular migration.

While EU institutions continue negotiating the legal framework for such arrangements, a group of countries — including Denmark, Austria, Greece, Germany and Netherlands — announced in March that they would proceed with planning and coordination.

According to a government statement, Austria’s interior and foreign ministers are scheduled to travel to Uzbekistan on 7 May to formally sign the agreement.

Interior Ministry spokesman Markus Haindl said the deal would provide an important transit route for people facing deportation to their countries of origin, “especially Afghanistan.”

Austria has already deported several Afghan nationals since last year, signalling a policy shift following the Islamic Emirate takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.

Vienna has also resumed returns of Syrian nationals after the fall of longtime Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad in 2024.

The European Union is currently developing broader plans to increase deportations of migrants without legal status in the bloc, including possible returns to Afghanistan, despite warnings from rights groups and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

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Afghanistan received more than $11 billion in humanitarian aid over the past five years

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Afghanistan has received more than $11 billion in humanitarian assistance since the Islamic Emirate returned to power in August 2021, according to United Nations figures cited by the BBC.

Despite the substantial aid, the gap between humanitarian needs and available funding remains wide, with the United Nations warning that millions of Afghans continue to require assistance.

The decline in international funding, a growing number of people in need and the return of millions of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries have added pressure to the country’s humanitarian situation.

Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis deepened following the collapse of the previous government in August 2021. The depreciation of the national currency, the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs and reductions in some international support programs further strained the economy and living conditions.

UN data shows that Afghanistan received about $5.2 billion in humanitarian assistance in 2021, followed by around $3.8 billion in 2022 and nearly $2 billion in 2023.

For 2024 and 2025, the United Nations appealed for more than $3 billion to address humanitarian needs in Afghanistan. However, funding fell short of the amounts requested.

The assistance has largely been directed toward food, healthcare, support for returnees and other urgent humanitarian needs.

The United Nations continues to classify Afghanistan as one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, stressing that sustained international support remains essential for millions of Afghans who continue to need assistance.

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Afghanistan expresses condolences over deadly Indonesia earthquake

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The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has expressed deep sorrow over a powerful earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia, killing at least 53 people and forcing around 5,000 others to evacuate.

A magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck Flores Island and surrounding areas on Saturday, blocking roads and triggering landslides, Indonesian authorities said.

In a statement, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveyed its sympathy and condolences to the government and people of Indonesia over the casualties caused by the earthquake.

It also wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the incident.

 

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Afghan commerce minister meets Uzbek deputy prime minister in Termez

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Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, met with Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshed Khojaev in the city of Termez to discuss expanding economic cooperation and joint investment.

The meeting, held on Saturday at the Termez Trade Center, focused on cooperation in the electricity, mining and agriculture sectors, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce said in a statement.

Uzbek officials expressed interest in investing in various sectors in Afghanistan. The Afghan delegation welcomed the interest and emphasized its readiness to create the necessary conditions for expanding economic cooperation and joint investment.

Mohammad Yousuf Wafa, governor of Balkh, and Abdul Ghaffar Bahr, Afghanistan’s ambassador to Tashkent, also attended the meeting.

 

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