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Dept for International Development

Answer

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the funding implications are of the agreement between UNHCR, the Iranian Government and the Afghan Interim Administration on resettling the 2.2 million Afghan refugees from Iran to Afghanistan; and what Britain's contribution to this funding is. [80717] Clare Short [holding answer 18 November 2002]: :On 3 April 2002, at the time of signing, the Tripartite agreement with the governments of Iran and Afghanistan, UNHCR estimated that some 1.5 million Afghan refugees were in Iran. In 2002, UNHCR allocated 6 million specifically for assistance to the Afghan refugees in Iran. Following the signing of this agreement, 400,000 Afghan refugees have voluntarily returned to Afghanistan from Iran. UNHCR estimate a voluntary repatriation of a further 500,000 Afghan refugees from Iran in 2003. In 2003, The UNHCR appeal has earmarked US$198m specifically for Afghan Internally Displaced Persons and Afghan refugees returning from Iran, Pakistan and the five central Asian states. Since September 2001, the UK has contributed over 5m to UNHCR for their programmes of assistance to Afghan refugees. Of our overall contribution to Afghanistan over 1m has been specifically designated for Afghan refugees in Iran. We are also supporting a number of other humanitarian programmes which will help to create an environment for the sustainable return of both refugees and Internally Displaced Persons.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

80717; 395 c851W;395 c849W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Asylum Development aid International assistance Refugees Repatriation Afghanistan Iran UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk