Refugees Return to Afghanistan

Georg David, an official at the German Federal Office for the Recognition of Foreign Refugees, is currently involved in helping Afghan refugees returning home with their social, professional and school reintegration. Ekkehart Schmidt-Fink spoke with him.

photo: AP
The Afghan government wants refugees to return home to help build up the country, says Georg David

​​The Federation and the Länder are working out a homecoming concept for Afghan citizens currently living in Germany who must leave the country. What brought about this concept?

Georg David: Last week, Interior Minister Otto Schily pointed out to the Afghan government that the nearly 16,000 refugees in Germany without residency permits must be readmitted into Afghanistan. A panel of experts consisting of Afghan and German specialists will meet in Berlin in the near future to work out an acceptable agreement.

There are several homecoming programs financed by the EU and directly financed by the German government and the German federal states. A program finances the departure of needy Afghans and offers each homecomer a one-off grant.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) also sponsors an EU-financed reintegration program. Germany contributes financially to this program as well. In addition to organizing the trip and paying the transport costs from the Kabul airport to the home town or village, the program provides short-term and free accommodation and carries out a preliminary medical examination.

It further provides training and work opportunities, paid for in part with wage costs subsidies. A special class for school-aged children began in May. Here they can improve their language skills, thereby facilitating their integration into normal school life. The program also gives homecomers an opportunity to set up their own business, providing start-up aid with a one-off grant of up to 1,500 euros.

The IOM has another program for professionally well-qualified homecomers from EU countries, which chiefly aims at building up the public administration in Afghanistan. Homecomers can each receive a salary subsidy of 300 euros (for women an additional 50 euros) as well as financial aid with a one-off grant of 600 euros. Flight costs are also paid.

This program offers many Afghans the opportunity to learn about the current situation in Afghanistan on the spot and then to decide whether a permanent return is personally possible for them. A new aspect has been recently added to this program which gives this group start-up aid to the amount of 5000 euros.

In addition, AGEF has a reintegration program supported by the German federal government which offers homecomers training and work opportunities in Afghanistan as well as financial assistance in starting their own business.

During their talks in January 2004, the interior ministers of Germany and Afghanistan agreed that civil war refugees should only be given refuge for the period in which the situation in their country is dangerous. Is the situation in Afghanistan no longer dangerous?

David: All in all, the situation for Afghan citizens is different than it is for soldiers from the military forces currently in the country and for workers from Western relief organizations. They are the primary targets of attacks from extremist forces.

Afghans who have lived here through 23 years of war, as well as homecomers and Afghan visitors, perceive the security situation as much less dangerous. So far, we know of no cases in which attacks targeted homecomers.

The building up of the Afghan police force (with German assistance) and the National Army is making steady and positive progress. The presence of the ISAF and the Coalition forces also contributes toward improving and stabilizing the security situation in Afghanistan.

However, the region to the south and southeast of the country on the border to Pakistan is still troubled by clashes between Coalition forces and extremist groups (Al-Qaeda, Taliban and Hekmatyar militias). Therefore, before sending Afghans back home, one should still take into consideration the region of the country and their personal background.

How many Afghan refugees live in Germany, and how many have already returned home?

David: Around 80,000 refugees live in Germany. Many of them have already received German citizenship. But there are probably around 16,000 Afghans still living in Germany who do not have a permanent residency permit and therefore will be expected to return to their home country.

We do not know the exact number of Afghans who have already left Germany and returned to Afghanistan. Although most have returned home with the assistance of various organizations, there are some who have returned home on their own and without any support.

Since the programs started in March 2002, approximately 290 persons have returned to Afghanistan with the help of the IOM. So far, the statistical development shows a marked increase compared with last year.

Does the Afghan government support these homecomers?

David: The Afghan government is very interested in having Afghans return home from the diaspora. In most cases, these are people with good career training; quite often they are university graduates.

In its developmental phase, Afghanistan is particularly interested in bringing home Afghans with experience in the Western world – to build up public life as well as the economy. As a result of so many years of war, Afghans living in the country have naturally lost many of these skills.

Interview: Ekkehart Schmidt-Fink, isoplan

Translation from German: Nancy Joyce

© Integration in Deutschland - AiD 2004

Ekkehart Schmidt-Fink is editor of the magazine "Integration in Deutschland-AiD" (Integration in Germany), an up-to-date information service on questions of migration and integration work.

The magazine is published by isoplan, the Institut für Entwicklungsforschung, Wirtschaft- und Sozialplanung GmbH (Institute for Developmental Research, Economic and Social Planning)

Federal Office for the Recognition of Foreign Refugees