Brazil inks deal to provide financial aid to Afghans
Starting in March this year, Brazil will provide complementary humanitarian and community assistance to Afghans facing vulnerable circumstances. A technical cooperation agreement signed by Brazil’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security with the international humanitarian support NGO Panahgah is expected to benefit up to 500 people a year.
In addition to humanitarian visas, the beneficiaries will receive financial aid to pay for housing for up to a year and other basic expenses, as well as Brazilian identification documents. They should also have access to public services such as health care, education, and social work.
The deal is the first of its kind to be signed under a community sponsorship initiative created by the Brazilian government aimed at forging partnerships with NGOs willing to provide shelter and local integration for Afghans in Brazil.
It will be up to the participating organizations to select the Afghan nationals who are eligible for humanitarian aid. Thus, individual applications will not be considered.
Panahgah has submitted reports on 60 people to the ministry thus far. Now, the Federal Police must check the legal status of each of them before the Foreign Ministry may issue their visas.
The compact also stipulates that Panahgah will host the beneficiaries at its headquarters for a period of adaptation, after which the group will be relocated to Brazilian cities where Panahgah has partnerships with other entities.
According to the ministry, in addition to Panahgah, two Brazilian organizations—the Estou Refugiado Institute and the Missão de Apoio à Igreja Sofredora (Mais)—have been qualified to join the program. Together, the organizations will soon be able to offer more than 200 places for complementary shelter to Afghans in vulnerable situations.
“Brazil is making progress, with regards to both the regulation of its migration and refugee system and the identification of migrants. Community sponsorship is a modality already established in other countries, and we think we can move forward with this model based taking into account our unique circumstances and the needs of refugees and immigrants who want to come to Brazil,” said National Secretary of Justice Jean Keiji Uema.
He pointed out that complementary humanitarian and community reception will not replace the traditional ways of obtaining refuge. “But we want to make progress in building a viable alternative, guaranteeing comprehensive reception for both immigrants and refugees. And, in a global context of various difficulties, we see that we can move forward in this perspective,” Uema added, noting that Brazil remains committed to being a ‘welcoming country, which understands that migration is a historical phenomenon’ and that people have the fundamental right to seek better life opportunities.
An increase in requests
The number of Afghans requesting refuge in Brazil has increased since September 2021, when the US began withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan after 20 years of military occupation and the Taliban political-religious group regained power.
In 2024, as per official figures, the Brazilian state granted 13,632 refugee recognitions. Afghans are the second most commonly assisted group, with 283 applications, behind Venezuela, with 12,726 permits.
The issue led to a long-running crisis at São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport, where dozens, often hundreds, of Afghans who had recently arrived in Brazil set up camp hoping to receive humanitarian aid.
