The New Zealand Government is providing consular assistance to New Zealanders and others trapped in Afghanistan as the Taliban today seized control of the capital of Kabul.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at a post-Cabinet press conference on Monday afternoon the Government is aware of 53 New Zealanders currently in Afghanistan.
"The situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated rapidly over recent days," she told reporters.
"We are gravely concerned by the advance of the Taliban and the threat it poses to those attempting to get out, including foreign nationals."
Ardern's comments comes after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled Kabul on Monday as the fundamentalist group seized control of the country in just over a week.
"There simply was not an expectation that we would see the security situation in Afghanistan deteriorate as quickly as it had," she said.
"We were just discussing the fact that some estimates thought that perhaps within 60 to 90 days, there may be the potential to see what we’ve seen now but it has happened rapidly so we responded rapidly."
She said Cabinet discussed "three aspects of New Zealand's assistance", including the safe evacuation of New Zealanders and their families out of Afghanistan; support for Afghan nationals who have assisted the New Zealand Defence Force or other agencies during their deployment and who may be at risk; and the assistance of NZDF with evacuation efforts out of the country.
NZDF chief Air Marshal Kevin Short said around 40 personnel will be deployed but "could be more" for around one month "but we don’t know whether the security situation will allow us to operate for that long so we’ll do as much as we can over the next few weeks”.
Ardern said MFAT officials are currently assessing options for providing support to "conflict-affected Afghanis".
Support will be finalised after "confirming which international humanitarian agencies are best placed to deliver assistance following the dramatic changes to the operating context in Afghanistan and options are put to Cabinet", she said.
She said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) is in contact with "a number of New Zealanders who remain in Afghanistan and are seeking to leave".
"All have been offered consular support. We are working through this with the utmost urgency."
She said the Government remains in close contact with their partners and other governments on the ground "and will be looking at ways New Zealand can also support the humanitarian response".
Ardern issed a challenge to the Taliban after saying they "are making claims about the kind of administration they wish to be".
"Here, we would implore them: allow people to leave safely and secondly, demonstrate that you are going to be an administration that takes into account the wellbeing, for instance, of women and girls, the ability to educated - all those things ... because the whole world will be watching."
SHARE ME