Two years after its launch, the German government’s plan aimed at taking in people who could be persecuted by the Afghan Taliban government faces an uncertain future due to a possible freeze in funding, NGOs warn.
In a joint statement, eight organizations, including Kabul Luftbrücke (Kabul Airlift), Mission Lifeline and the International Rescue Committee Germany, said the ongoing negotiations on the 2025 federal budget were the last chance to secure funding for the continuation of the program .
Since the Islamist Taliban came to power in August 2021, the plan has allowed vulnerable people to seek refuge in Germany. While Berlin agrees that the approximately 3,100 approved applicants should be granted admission, future admissions are dependent on financial support.
Some politicians within Germany’s governing coalition have shown signs of reluctance, as Afghanistan is a major source of asylum seekers entering Germany illegally.
Instead of the planned 1,000 admissions per month, only 682 persons had entered Germany over the past two years, the organization’s statement continued, adding that final processing of selected applications had been suspended since July 2024.
“Premature and disorderly termination of this vital admissions program will leave particularly vulnerable people in Afghanistan behind,” the organizations warned.
