Since the evacuation from Afghanistan began, Georgia has been expediently working with its U.S. and international partners to transport vulnerable international civilians back to their homes and provide fleeing Afghan nationals a safe transit out of the country.
Georgia has accepted the requests of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the International Republican Institute (IRI), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the International Development Fund (IMF) to assist in evacuating their staff and allow their temporary presence on Georgian territory.
The Georgian government’s efforts to provide a safe transit point for evacuation flights have been widely lauded by international NGO’s. In a letter to Georgian officials, the Managing Director of the IMF Kristalina Georgieva, thanked the Georgian government for its vital assistance in the evacuation of the fund’s personnel and their families: “By receiving our staff and providing them with shelter and safe haven in Tbilisi, Georgia went above and beyond in difficult circumstances to help our people. Make no mistake: these efforts were absolutely critical to this successful evacuation.”
Georgia’s western partners have also lauded the actions of the Georgian government. Carl Hertzel, the EU Ambassador to Georgia, commended Georgian efforts by tweeting, “Thank you Georgia for your strong support to the evacuation from Kabul which allowed EU member states to swiftly and safely transit via Tbilisi airport.” The U.S. Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, stated that, “We’re enormously grateful to the huge network of countries that have provided critical assistance’ for their evacuation efforts from Afghanistan,” as she thanked Georgia among other U.S. partners.
As of now, up to 20 flights have been conducted from Kabul to Tbilisi and approximately 2,500 people have been evacuated. During these missions, Georgia’s airspace and territory were used as a reliable transit route from Afghanistan that aided many in their journey’s back home and those in pursuit of a new beginning. Georgian Defense Forces installed large multipurpose tents to host evacuees during the long delays before the departures and a special facility was designated to allocate evacuated personnel to NATO member states via charter flights.
By aiding in this vital mission, Georgia has once again highlighted the outsized value that it brings to the transatlantic partnership and its commitment to global security and the protection of human life. Georgia will continue to aid its western partners in the execution of its global obligations and be ready to take on any responsibility that benefits global security, democracy, and the protection of the vulnerable.