Officials in the United States are talking with the government of Suriname to send the remaining Afghans held at a U.S. base in Kosovo to the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member state.
The talks are taking place as the Afghans failed to meet entry requirements for admission to the United States.
Suriname’s ambassador to the U.S., Maarten Schalkwijk, told The Wall Street Journal that talks with the United States are at a preliminary stage, and the country is considering whether to move forward.
“We are considering it,” Ambassador Schalkwijk said, adding that the country would appoint a team to handle the talks if necessary.
According to Foreign Affairs Minister Albert Ramdin, some of the Afghans have been in refugee camps for more than a year.
Meanwhile, an exploratory conversation has also been held with Suriname by U.S. officials.
“Talks are ongoing and in particular the assessment of the information we are currently receiving. Suriname is known as a friendly and welcoming country. As part of our solidarity with the international community, this possibility is being considered,” said Ramdin. He added that the Suriname government would also like that in addition to the assessment of the displaced persons to be received, there are certainties with regard to the guidance of those involved by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and also the necessary financial assistance.”
Currently, the profiles of the involved refugees are being shared with the Suriname authorities for evaluation.
This process of admitting refugees is supervised and facilitated by the IOM, Ramdin emphasized. Earlier this year the State Department began to inform some of the Afghans – including spouses and children – housed at a military base in Kosovo that they won’t be allowed to enter the U.S. after they were flagged for additional screening during the vetting process following their evacuation from Kabul last year.
Family members who already obtained green cards or granted U.S. citizenship are free to leave on their own if they want, but many have chosen to stay together.
CMC/
