June 27, 2008	Friday	Jamadi-us-Sani 22, 1429

ISLAMABAD, June 26: The Australian government has contributed $1.4 million to the UN refugee agency’s programme in order to facilitate repatriation of Afghan refugees to their country.

“Australia has been a trusted humanitarian partner helping refugees and people of concern to UNHCR around the globe,” said Guenet Guebre-Christos, the agency’s representative in Pakistan.

“The Australian support will enable UNHCR to launch a new initiative that will improve the quality of information gathered through the registration of Afghans and update the Proof of Registration cards.”

Pakistan, with the help of UNHCR, last year registered more than two million Afghans and gave them identification cards with a temporary status of stay.

At present there are about 1.8 million registered Afghans in Pakistan, of which more than 40 per cent live in 84 refugee villages in Pakistan.

“The Australian assistance will help UNHCR and Pakistan manage the large Afghan population with more humanitarian effectiveness,” said Ms Zorica McCarthy, the Australian High Commissioner in Islamabad.

“The Australian government regularly contributes in other parts of the world to bring a positive and qualitative change in the lives of desperate refugees.”

The Australian government also provides assistance to Pakistan in sectors involving health, education, food support, post-earthquake reconstruction, improvement of agricultural linkages between Australia and Pakistan and scholarships to Pakistani students in Australian institutions.

UNHCR is currently facilitating the voluntary repatriation of the Afghans. Since 2002, it has helped some 3.3 million Afghans return home. About 162,000 Afghans returned home this year.

The agency also supports basic amenities like health, primary education and water and sanitation in Afghan refugee villages.