Farnesina and Interior Ministry working on new humanitarian corridors for some 300 Afghan citizens

Approximately 300 Afghans are on their way to Rome from Iran and Pakistan thanks to the new humanitarian corridors.

The first 9 beneficiaries landed at Fiumicino Airport this morning on a scheduled flight from Tehran. A second, more consistent group of more than 200 beneficiaries will arrive at Fiumicino on a special flight from Islamabad on Wednesday, 27 July and a third group will again land at Fiumicino on a direct flight from Tehran on Thursday, 28 July.

The three operations are the fruit of the close cooperation between Institutions, civil society organisations and international organisations within the framework of the "Italian Plan for the Afghan People" developed to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan with a special focus on women and minors. Ideally, the project is a follow-up of the emergency evacuation operation carried out in Kabul in August 2021, as well as of the numerous subsequent humanitarian actions, aimed at offering the possibility of a decent and safe future to an additional number of Afghan refugees and persecuted people.

The Memorandum of Understanding for humanitarian corridors and evacuations from Afghanistan involves the Foreign and Interior ministries on the one hand, and several civil society organisations on the other, such as the Community of Sant'Egidio, the Italian Episcopal Conference/Caritas, the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy, Tavola Valdese and ARCI, which all work alongside UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), IOM (International Organisation for Migration) and INMP (national institute promoting the health of migrant people and countering poverty-related illnesses).

This week's three air lifts, directed handled by the associations, were organised overcoming remarkable logistic problems, thanks to the collaboration with the Pakistani and Iranian authorities. This marks the beginning of a process that will lead to the transfer to Italy - not only from Pakistan and Iran, but also from other countries in the region - of 1,200 Afghan citizens who are particularly vulnerable and at risk.