Question Period Note: The Situation in Afghanistan

Canada remains committed to Afghanistan and the Afghan people following the Taliban takeover in August 2021 and the continued uncertain political, security and humanitarian environments.

• Canada remains committed to Afghanistan and the Afghan people and we will continue to do all that we can to support them.
• Recognizing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people, Canada increased our humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan by $50 million on August 26, bringing our total commitment in 2021 to $77.3M. Canada has also agreed to resettle up to 40,000 Afghan refugees.
• Canada continues to be actively engaged on the following priorities: safe passage; the unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance; the Taliban's respect for its international obligations, notably the fundamental rights of all Afghans; and coordination on counter-terrorism.
• Canada has no plans to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate Government of Afghanistan. The Taliban remain a listed terrorist entity under Canadian law. Any consideration of development assistance will depend on the Taliban meeting international obligations.

• David Sproule, Canada's Senior Official for Afghanistan, currently based in Doha, Qatar, engages informally with the Taliban and is coordinating with allies on a joint international response to the crisis in Afghanistan.

On August 15, 2021, the Taliban seized Kabul, President Ghani fled and the former Government of Afghanistan collapsed.
On September 7, the Taliban declared an interim government comprised largely of sanctioned hardline religious and military Pashtun figures. This signifies the Taliban's unwillingness to compromise and their intention to establish a theocratic state.
Continued active international engagement is needed to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a source of regional or global insecurity, to ensure the rights of Afghan women and minorities,, and to foster more inclusive governance in the medium-term. Significant hurdles exist on reaching international consensus on next steps, notably tensions between Western states and Russia and China.
The pausing of international assistance and freezing of foreign currency reserves have exacerbated the economic crisis. However, these elements may also serve as potential leverage to pressure the Taliban to deliver on its international obligations, specifically the protection of fundamental rights and the formation of an inclusive and representative government.

By August 26 Canadian Forces had evacuated over 3,700 people from Afghanistan. However, many Canadians and Afghans with links to Canada were left behind. Charter and commercial flight options are now virtually non-existent.
More than 1,160 Canadian citizens, permanent residents or family members have departed Afghanistan since the end of August. This includes over 100 people who have been evacuated with Qatar's help as of November 2021.
Canada has committed to resettling up to 40,000 vulnerable Afghan nationals to Canada through two separate Special Immigration Measures (SIMS) programs. Over 1,100 Afghans eligible to come to Canada are currently in Pakistan, having crossed by land border; multiple charter flights from Islamabad to Canada are scheduled.
The Taliban has pledged to allow safe passage of all Afghans out of Afghanistan with the proper documentation. However, in practice many Afghans have been prevented from leaving the country. Canada and partners continue to work with allies to secure regional cooperation for these efforts.

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