Spain: Sanchez govt takes lead in Afghan refugee hub initiative

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Spain for its initiative in coordinating the distribution of Afghan refugees in Europe during a EU delegation visit of the hub at the Torrejon Air Base, near Madrid, on Saturday.
As part of the visit, a joint press conference was held between Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and EU leaders von der Leyen and Charles Michel.
“We have a Spanish saying, we say: ‘Estamos a las duras y a las maduras’, which clearly embodies the position of Spain in Europe. ‘We are [here] for the sweet moments but also for the bitter ones. And, wherever and whenever Europe needs Spain, we will be there,” declared Sanchez.
The first refugees from Afghanistan have already arrived at the airbase earlier in the week.
Von der Leyen congratulated Spain for having “shown humanity” and “proven a great sense of solidarity” through the initiative.
The President of the European Commission also announced that there are plans for increasing the EU’s current humanitarian aid budget for 2021, which currently has a value of €57 million ($66.7 million).
Von der Leyen also noted that alternatives would have to be provided for Afghans “who cannot go back or stay home” and suggested that “legal and safe routes” would need to be offered by the “international community,” with the discussion of these to be a topic at the upcoming G7 (Group of Seven) meeting.

SOT, Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain: “Europe responds: For the good and also during the bad times. And dear Charles [Michel, President of European Council], dear Ursula [von der Leyen, President of European Commission], we have a Spanish saying, we say: ‘Estamos a las duras y a las maduras’, which clearly embodies the position of Spain in Europe. ‘We are [here] for the sweet moments but also for the bitter ones.’ And, wherever and whenever Europe needs Spain, we will be there.”

SOT, Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain (Spanish): “All the EU civil servants are like our own, they are also our services. And therefore, we said we’d facilitate and said yes to the High Representative [of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell] in Spain’s becoming the centre of operations, the centre of distribution and European hub to guarantee the distribution of refugees jointly with member states.”

SOT, Ursula von der Leyen, President of European Commission: “In the times of need, Spain has shown humanity and Spain has proven a great sense of solidarity. So, Spain is here an example for the European soul at its best.”

SOT, Ursula von der Leyen, President of European Commission: “And the [European] Commission is currently working on increasing its current humanitarian aid. We had planned an envelope of €57 million for 2021, but we have to increase that and we will soon come forward with the proposal.”

SOT, Ursula von der Leyen, President of European Commission: “To those who cannot go back or stay home, we have to offer alternatives. And this means first, that we must offer legal and safe routes globally, organised by us, the international community, to those who need protection. And for this to be effective we must act together on a global level, that will be indeed one of the issues, Charles [Michel, President of European Council] and Pedro [Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain], that I think is central to the G7 (Group of Seven) meeting next week. At the G7 meeting, I would like to follow up on the resettlement forum, that the commission organised in July together with some member states, with Canada, the United States and the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees). This resettlement of vulnerable people is of utmost importance. It is our moral duty.”

SOT, Ursula von der Leyen, President of European Commission: “I also call on all states who have participated in the Afghanistan missions, Europeans and others, to provide sufficient resettlement quotas and secure pathways so that collectively we can accommodate those in need of protection. The commission stands ready to look into the necessary budgetary means to support EU member states who will stand up and help resettle refugees.”

SOT, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission: “The €1 billion in EU funds set aside for development aid for the next seven years is tied to strict conditions: Respect for human rights, good treatment of minorities and respect for the rights of women and girls, just to name a few. And not a single euro can go to a regime, not a single euro of development aid that denies women and girls their freedoms and rights to education and careers. We may well hear the Taliban’s words, but we will measure them above all by their deeds and their actions. Thank you.”
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