The Government supervises the return of the Spanish contingent in Afghanistan through an inter-ministerial working group

Pedro Sánchez chairs this Working Group, which is coordinated by the Minister for the Presidency, Parliamentary Relations and Democratic Memory, Félix Bolaños. The other members are the Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares; the Minister for Defence, Margarita Robles; the Minister for Home Affairs, Fernando Grande-Marlaska; the Minister for Health, Carolina Darias; and the Minister for Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, José Luis Escrivá.

President's talks with ministers and technical meetings beforehand

The meeting of this body, which will be held by videoconference, has been preceded by multiple conversations between the president and the ministers involved, as well as several meetings at a technical level with representatives of the different departments.

Its objective is to coordinate the return of Spanish Embassy staff in Afghanistan and the Spaniards who remain in the country, as well as Afghan collaborators in order to guarantee a safe return.

Tomorrow, the first of the two A400M aircraft of the Spanish Armed Forces that departed from the Zaragoza air base in recent days for Dubai will fly from there to Kabul to evacuate Spanish personnel who are scheduled to arrive in Spain from Afghanistan.

A third A400M medical aircraft of the Armed Forces also left from the Torrejón Air Base (Madrid) for Dubai to assist in the repatriation efforts.

The three aircraft are part of the Government's plan to complete the first phase of the repatriation of Spanish personnel and Afghan collaborators.

Non official translation