KANDAHAR - Kandahar Governor Dr. Toryali Wesa said yesterday that proper living conditions should be provided prior to the return of Afghan refugees to the country.

“Upon the return of the refugees, we will be able to have more skillful people in Afghanistan,” said Dr. Wesa, while meeting the Afghanistan Country Representative of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Bo Schack.

“However, we should provide living conditions and conducive environment for the refugees before they return to their country.”

Schools, clinics, houses, training and job opportunities are the things which will be the basic requirements of the refugees, the Governor added.

Dr. Wesa pointed out that those working for repatriation of the refugees from neighbouring countries were not fully professional and required further training and equipment.

The issue of repatriation of the refugees should not be limited only to the UNHCR and Ministry of Refugees, but in fact this issue requires broad-based efforts, he added.

In reply, Mr. Schack of UNHCR said he chose to visit Kandahar for his first field visit outside Kabul after taking charge of his duties in Kabul because “Kandahar is an important province”.

Mr. Schack agreed that the refugee issue required joint efforts and the Afghan Government should take this issue “very seriously” as any other important issue because failure in this part would result in a number of difficulties and would not be good for the future of the country.

Source: Kandahar RTA