US authorities to assist ‘obligatory companies’ for Afghans present process visa processing in Southeast Asian nation.
The Philippines has agreed to briefly host a “restricted quantity” of Afghans being thought of for resettlement in the US, US and Philippine officers have introduced.
The US authorities will assist “obligatory companies” for Afghans as they endure visa processing within the Philippines, together with meals, housing, safety, medical, and transport, the US Division of State stated in an announcement on Monday.
“America appreciates its lengthy and constructive historical past of bilateral cooperation with the Philippines and thanks the Philippine authorities for supporting Afghan allies of the US,” the State Division stated.
The Philippine Division of International Affairs stated in an announcement that the settlement was present process “last home procedures” wanted to make sure its effectiveness.
Washington and Manila didn’t specify the variety of Afghans that will endure visa processing within the Philippines.
However The Washington Publish, quoting unnamed US officers, stated about 300 Afghan candidates can be processed within the Southeast Asian nation.
The deal is the most recent signal of deepening ties between Washington and Manila underneath Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, whose election in 2022 marked a shift away from the China-friendly stance of his populist predecessor Rodrigo Duterte.
Greater than 160,000 Afghans have been resettled within the US since 2021, when the Taliban retook management of the nation following Washington’s withdrawal of its forces.
Hundreds of others are in third nations awaiting visa processing for doable relocation underneath an initiative dubbed Operation Allies Welcome.
A lot of these eligible for resettlement labored for the US authorities earlier than the collapse of the Western-backed Afghan Nationwide Safety Forces.
The information that the US had requested its ally to contemplate internet hosting Afghan candidates prompted opposition from some Filipinos on authorized and safety grounds when it grew to become public final yr.
Marcos stated final June that the proposal raised “many safety points” at the same time as he emphasised the “lengthy custom” of the Philippines accepting refugees.
