Philippines to Welcome Afghan Refugees Seeking US Visas
The U.S. government has committed to providing ‘necessary services’ for Afghan individuals staying temporarily in the Philippines as part of a mutual agreement.
The State Department announced on Monday that the Philippines has agreed to a U.S. request to host a limited number of Afghan nationals temporarily while they go through the resettlement process for the United States.
As part of the arrangement, the U.S. government will supply necessary services to Afghan individuals staying in the country, including food, housing, security, medical assistance, and transportation.
No specific details on the agreement, such as the number of Afghan nationals allowed or the length of their stay in the Philippines, have been disclosed by either party.
The Philippine government revealed last June that it assessed the request following discussions between President Joe Biden and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Washington.
Although Washington initially made the request in 2022, Marcos stated in June 2023 that the U.S. proposal presented several security concerns and legal/logistical challenges, as indicated by local media Benar News.
Tens of thousands of Afghans left their homeland when the Taliban assumed power in August 2021 after U.S. troops withdrew from Afghanistan. Last year, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported 6.4 million Afghan refugees globally.