Around ninety Afghan citizens have recently arrived in Lithuania and North Macedonia. The Afghans, who formerly worked for NATO, and their families, were the last evacuees from Afghanistan to leave NATO temporary facilities in Kosovo, where troops of NATO’s Response Force had helped to provide care and support. In Kosovo, the Afghans had been provided with housing in individual and family quarters, dining facilities, medical and dental centres, meeting rooms, recreation areas for adults and children, and religious facilities.
“It is our moral duty to contribute to the fulfilment of NATO obligation to resettle the people who worked for the Alliance in Afghanistan. I am certain that they will be able to build a good and peaceful life in our country. We already resettled over 170 Afghans who worked for the Lithuanian Military in Afghanistan and they seemed to be integrating very well. More recently, we have permanently resettled another group of 20 Afghans, who will soon be granted asylum. Lithuania is further determined to be a valuable ally and contribute to our common Allied endeavours,” Ambassador Ambassador Deividas Matulionis, Lithuania’s Permanent Representative to NATO said.
“It is our duty and obligation to help the resettlement of people who worked for NATO in Afghanistan. North Macedonia decided to provide temporary hosting for 68 Afghans that were previously in Kosovo, until their final relocation, which makes for over 800 Afghans that were accepted in North Macedonia. Our actions are in the spirit of solidarity with our Allies and also with our Afghan partners who are at risk in Afghanistan. North Macedonia remains dedicated to provide further contribution to sustain NATO’s credibility and efficiency” Ambassador Dane Taleski, North Macedonia’s Permanent Representative to NATO said.
Thanks to Allies’ joint efforts, around 2,000 Afghans who worked with NATO, and their families, were evacuated from Kabul in August, as part of the largest evacuation mission in NATO’s history. NATO worked around the clock to coordinate evacuations and the former NATO Senior Civilian Representative Ambassador Stefano Pontecorvo and his staff played a key role to this effect. Over the course of two weeks, more than 120,000 people were flown out, on hundreds of Allied flights. Troops from the US, UK, Turkey, and Norway played a key role in securing the airport and operating a field hospital, while around 800 NATO staff maintained key operations such as fuelling and communications. NATO Allies and partners continue to work together to help evacuated Afghans start a new life.
Over the last weeks and months, over 470 former Afghan employees and their families resettled in Canada, 150 in the United Kingdom, more than 130 in Germany, 80 in Norway, and several hundred more in other Allied countries.