UK to announce details of new resettlement scheme for Afghan refugees
August 17, 2021, 3:55 am

UK to announce details of new resettlement scheme for Afghan refugees

UK clock and flag

The BBC reported Downing Street has confirmed, details of a new resettlement scheme for Afghan refugees are to be announced soon.

According to the BBC, no 10 said that the new scheme will be aimed at helping those most in need, including women and girls, come to the UK.

The new scheme comes after the Taliban seized control of capital city Kabul, prompting thousands to try to flee.

The BBC said that on Monday evening, the Home Office said the UK had admitted more than 3,300 Afghan interpreters, staff and their families to the UK for resettlement.

The Home Office said "it will be guided by the capacity of local authorities" when deciding how many Afghan refugees to allow to settle in the UK after the Taliban seized power.

The BBC added, a Downing Street spokeswoman said the UK team was "working around the clock in incredibly difficult circumstances to help British nationals and as many others as we can get to safety as soon as possible".

She added that it was "in everyone's interest not to let Afghanistan fail".

"That means providing whatever support we can to the Afghan people who have worked so hard to make the country a better place over the last 20 years and who are now in need of our help."

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said earlier that the UK was "looking very carefully at what kind of further commitment we might make", before adding that the UK was a "big-hearted nation".

According to sources, the BBC has been told the new resettlement scheme will be similar to that used to help Syrian refugees in 2014.

It should be noted that most Afghan nationals currently eligible for relocation to the UK are those who have worked for the British government in frontline roles "that made a material difference to the delivery of the UK mission" in the country.

Citing MoD, the BBC reported this group includes interpreters as well as cultural advisers and embassy staff. Others eligible are those deemed to be at high and imminent risk.

Source: BBC

UK: Plasma from blood donations to be used to make vital medicine UNICEF calls for protection of Lebanon's children amid escalating fuel crisis

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”