Australia's military air evacuation in Afghanistan was one of the largest humanitarian airlift operations in our history. Australia evacuated around 4,100 people on 32 flights from Kabul between 18 and 26 August 2021. The evacuation involved hundreds of Australian Defence Force personnel and government officials working together on the ground in Afghanistan, in Canberra and in the United Arab Emirates. The Australian Government acknowledges the significant contribution of all those involved.
This is a distressing time for many people in Afghanistan and here in Australia. We are prioritising Afghans under our humanitarian visa program and are providing humanitarian support to Afghanistan, with a particular focus on supporting women and girls.
Australia joins other nations in calling on the Taliban to uphold its undertakings to allow international citizens and visa holders to depart Afghanistan in a safe and orderly manner.
Australia's humanitarian assistance
The Australian Government stands in solidarity with the Afghan people and is working closely with our humanitarian partners to support those in greatest need. Since 2021, Australia has provided $213 million in humanitarian and basic needs assistance to respond to the Afghanistan crisis. This includes:
- $173 million to meet immediate humanitarian and basic services needs in Afghanistan
- $40 million to support internally displaced people in Afghanistan and neighbouring countries hosting Afghan refugees.
Our assistance has a specific focus on supporting women and girls.
Advice
Australians in Afghanistan should monitor advice on Smartraveller.gov.au and subscribe for updates. Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate families should register with DFAT.
Australians in need of consular assistance should contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 (outside Australia) or 1300 555 135 (in Australia). Our ability to provide consular assistance in Afghanistan is severely limited at this time.
The Australian Government is working to ensure that visa options continue to be available to Afghan nationals, both within Afghanistan and those displaced from their home country, through Australia's long-standing Humanitarian and Migration Programs. If you are in Afghanistan, or you are an Afghan national, and need to enquire about a current visa or citizenship application contact +61 2 6196 0196. For further details, see Afghanistan updates on the Home Affairs website.
How you can help
For those wishing to make a personal contribution to the response efforts, a summary of Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) members with fundraising appeals is listed on the ACFID website.
Media releases:
- Joint Statement of Foreign Ministers on increased restrictions on the human rights of Afghan women and girls (13 May 2022) Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States
- Australian support to Afghanistan (1 April 2022)
- Joint Statement of Female Foreign Ministers on the occasion of the re-opening of schools in Afghanistan (25 March 2022) Foreign Ministers of Albania, Andorra, Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Estonia, Germany, Ghana, Iceland, Indonesia, Kosovo, Libya, Lichtenstein, Malawi, Mongolia, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Tonga, United Kingdom
- Female Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Afghanistan (9 March 2022)
- Joint Statement on Reports of Summary Killings and Enforced Disappearances in Afghanistan (5 December 2021)
- Australia's humanitarian and COVID assistance (27 October 2021)
- MIKTA Statement on the Situation in Afghanistan, (10 September 2021) Foreign Ministers of Mexico, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Turkey and Australia
- Joint Statement on Afghanistan Evacuation Travel Assurances (30 August 2021). Minister for Foreign Affairs and other Governments.
- Joint Press Conference on Afghanistan (27 August 2021). Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Defence and Minister for Home Affairs
- Joint Statement on Afghanistan women's and girls' human rights (24 August 2021) Minister for Foreign Affairs and other Governments.
- Human Rights Council 31st Special Session on serious human rights concerns and the situation in Afghanistan (24 August 2021) from the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
- Statement on Afghanistan (16 August 2021) from the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
- Statement on Afghanistan (16 August 2021) Australian Defence Force.
- Joint Statement on Afghanistan (15 August 2021) from the Minister for Foreign Affairs.