First batch of Afghan refugees arrive in Uganda

The first batch of Afghan refugees arrived in Uganda on Wednesday morning, with 51 arriving via chartered flight at Entebbe Airport.

According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the evacuees, who included men, women, and children, underwent the necessary security screening, as well as the mandatory COVID-19 testing and quarantine procedures.

The latest developments come after evacuations in Kabul were temporarily halted due to overcrowding at an evacuee receiving center in Qatar.

The US government had also asked Uganda to temporarily house Afghans and other nationals on their way to the US and other destinations.

“Uganda and the United States of America enjoy long standing cordial bilateral relations which are historic in nature and continue to pursue common interests for the mutual benefit of both countries,” a statement from the Ugandan Foreign Affairs Ministry says. 

The government of Uganda also acknowledged that there are some Ugandans still stuck in Kabul who are yet to be evacuated. 

“Whereas it had been arranged for some Ugandans to travel on the above flight, due to the challenges of accessing the airport in Kabul, they were unable to make it.,” the statement adds  “Arrangements are being made to bring them in the subsequent flight”