After the takeover of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and amid tensions over a possible migration crisis, President Iván Duque confirmed that Colombia will receive a portion of the Afghans who will leave their country. Although the president did not give details of the number of people who will arrive, it is speculated that some 4,000 Afghans will remain temporarily in the national territory; They will stay in the country while the US government, which will cover the total expenses of their stay in Colombia, advances their registration and migratory transfer to the US.

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In dialogue with El Espectador , Néstor Orduz, former deputy director general of Migration Colombia and consultant for entities such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM), talks about logistics, challenges and, in general, the key questions that may arise after arrival from the Afghans to Colombia. He also about this decision of the National Government and what it implies for relations with the United States.

“The first thing we must understand is that the political and economic dynamics of the international system are very rough and complex. But there is a human part to all of this, and that is providing shelter to those who need it most. They are people who left home with just a change of clothes, without a photograph and leaving their lives behind,” Orduz said.

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Since August 14, the US has evacuated about 17,000 people. Agreements have been reached with Germany, Spain, Canada and Italy to temporarily host these refugees. In Latin America, Chile, Costa Rica and Mexico will also admit Afghan families.

Has Colombia received such a number of refugees before?

The country has an intersectoral refugee commission, which is the one that endorses the applications. But it is a much more specific selection process, with included studies, since the cases were very few and it was possible to examine the data in greater detail. Since 2003, refugee applications in Colombia have not exceeded one hundred cases per year, at that time the causes of entry, the country of origin and countless variables were analyzed. In the end, the commission, through a vote, decided whether to grant refugee status or not. But in this case, the process is going to change not only because of the number of people, it is also key to understand what status Colombia is going to grant to the Afghans.

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This process would indeed be a milestone in terms of refugees in Colombia; It is the first time that we will receive them in this way. Not even from the beginning, when Colombia began to captivate migrants in 1920. And it was not done after the two world wars. We did manage to receive a portion of people from Europe after 1945, some 3,000 arrived, but not as refugees.

Colombia also uses the figure of asylum. The country has provided more political asylum than refuge to politicians and their families, or to journalists, for example. These requests were received through protocols at airports and embassies or while inside Colombia.

Colombia already has experience with the Venezuelan migration crisis, will the challenges be similar?

Other analysts would say that we have already experienced something similar with Venezuela, but in that case not all of them arrived in Colombia due to a purely political persecution; many are here for economic issues. However, the connotation is given by the State, which is why I reiterate that it is key to understand the condition that Colombia is going to grant to the Afghans.

On the other hand, the implications can be various, but they are implications, not problems. First, the number of Afghans who will arrive in the country, which so far we know to be about 4,000, is a figure that is not of great impact and is manageable. Colombia has, throughout its history, care processes for the vulnerable population that, in this case, will be useful, such as primary health care, among other things; there will be people who arrive without vaccines, and we are not just talking about anti-COVID vaccines, for example.

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To this should be added what would be the refuge where they are going to settle, and what are the conditions that the Afghans are going to have in our country. Yes, it is a different process from that of Venezuelan migrants, who share an idiosyncrasy very similar to that of Colombia. But also, in this case, the challenges are greater starting with the language. Not to mention that they are people who come from the other side of the world, and who went through a very difficult experience, so they must also receive mental health care.

In addition, it is likely that, speaking in general terms of the evacuation from Afghanistan, there will be a family breakdown precisely because of the urgency. That is why characterization is key, to understand how many children, women, and men are entering the country.

What will happen to the Afghans as soon as they set foot on Colombian territory? What is the logistics?

As soon as they get off the planes, it is possible that a protocol will be established through Migration Colombia in which they must go through the identification process, which would result in the figure of a document that proves the condition that Colombia will give them. to the Afghans. At the same time, primary care services would be provided.

It may happen that the US provides Colombia with a list, it is most likely. However, due to the same humanitarian urgency, part of the documentation may still be pending.

An international watchdog would also arrive, which is already in Colombia, such as the United Nations Population Fund or the UN Refugee Agency (Acnur), for example. They could support the entire characterization process; I estimate that this may take about fifteen days, it is a big challenge because institutionally Migración Colombia does not have so many machines to do the registration. In this process they also take fingerprints, photographs and will surely apply a more advanced protocol.

This data would also be delivered to the US and there would begin the exchange of cooperation that we have. What the Government of Colombia has to do is work on logistics; some programs that already exist and could be adapted will probably be used. But the route can change simply because of the issue of communication.

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In the following days, and if they are given refugee status, there is a protocol by the UNHCR that says that refugee camps have to be established to further protect people's lives. If these steps are followed, they will surely be located in some part of the country, with a very specific physical delimitation, where there is a medical and educational center and other facilities.

How long would they stay in Colombia? Is there a possibility that they settle in the country?

Emergency care must be temporary, because it is to try to meet an immediate need. Knowing the US migration processes, relocation could take three to six months. And there depend several variables such as the international context and the number of people who were distributed around the world.

Those who arrive in our country will probably be relocated to the US, but not all; some would go to other countries or stay in Colombia while the situation improves. And there the Government could opt for another type of document, but it would have to be seen later.

What does this decision imply in terms of relations with the US?

Colombia-US relations were muted. Although Colombia has always been a key country for US foreign and national policy, the attempt by some Colombian politicians to intercede in the elections in favor of Donald Trump upset not only Biden, but also his cabinet. We see the reflection of that diplomatic silence in the need for a change in the Embassy in Washington, for example. This is a message from Bogotá to Washington that our country will support them in this crisis. Without a doubt, it is a commitment to improve bilateral relations.

Another key point is how will other countries in the region take the arrival of Afghans in Colombia? I would say that your opinion will not be negative; On the contrary, it is likely that aid and diplomatic support will begin to arrive in Colombia. In the coming days, we could even see more negotiations between the US and another Latin American country to receive more refugees.