Germany’s resettlement promise for Afghan staff remains unfulfilled as 600 people still wait in Pakistan.

After the Taliban retook power in Afghanistan on 15 August 2021, Berlin pledged to bring all Afghan local staff who helped German efforts in the country to Germany. The promise was made by German officials, including Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who stated that the work would continue until all people under Germany’s responsibility were safe. Since the takeover, over 37,000 Afghan nationals, including those who worked with the Bundeswehr and German aid programmes, have arrived in Germany. The group also contains activists and journalists who faced the Taliban’s repression. While many have reached Germany, others remain stuck. For example, an audio engineer named Ahmad Samid arrived safely and now works as a hotel receptionist. Conversely, Javad Niazi, who worked for the Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, remains in Peshawar, Pakistan, using a false name due to fear of Taliban retaliation. The German government has offered financial incentives to those still waiting. A one‑time payment of up to €2,500 can be received before departure, or up to €10,000 for those who return to Afghanistan or a third country. So far, 300 people have accepted this offer. In July 2026 the Federal Constitutional Court ruled that the blanket revocation of the admission programme for at‑risk Afghan citizens violated the constitutional ban on arbitrariness. The court said each case must be evaluated on its individual merits. The Interior Ministry says the court allows broad discretion for political decision‑making when determining admissions, but also must consider affected persons’ circumstances. A German NGO, Kabul‑Luftbrücke, has helped 1,018 Afghans travel to Germany since 1 September 2025. The NGO has won more than 200 lawsuits, but 600 people still await transport. About 75 % of those waiting are women and children. The situation illustrates the gap between Germany’s initial promise and the current reality for Afghan staff who assisted German operations.