Topline
With 1000’s of individuals scrambling to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban retook management of the nation, on-line rental platform Airbnb mentioned it’s going to present free housing to twenty,000 displaced Afghan refugees to assist them settle world wide.
Hundreds of Afghans rush to the Hamid Karzai Worldwide Airport as they attempt to flee the Afghan … [+]
Key Information
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky wrote on Twitter Tuesday that the corporate felt “a accountability to step up” and assist with “one of many largest humanitarian crises of our time.”
“Beginning at present, Airbnb will start housing 20,000 Afghan refugees globally without cost,” he wrote.
Chesky mentioned Airbnb—which connects would-be renters with would-be landlords—can be paying for the stays and is working intently with organizations on the bottom “to help essentially the most urgent wants.”
He thanked the generosity of the hosts concerned and asked hosts prepared to accommodate a refugee household to “attain out” and speak to him.
Essential Quote
Chesky said he hopes “this conjures up different enterprise leaders to do the identical. There’s no time to waste.”
Key Background
The waves of individuals fleeing the Taliban add to hundreds of thousands of Afghan nationals displaced internally or overseas. Round 3.5 million Afghans are estimated by the United Nations to be displaced contained in the nation. Of these, 270,000 are newly displaced since January, and round 2.6 million are refugees overseas. The scenario in Afghanistan has prompted international locations world wide to arrange for an enormous inflow of individuals in search of asylum and intensified already tense debates in some rich international locations over what to do. Many international locations, notably NATO members who had been engaged in Afghanistan, have dedicated to welcome refugees, although that is more likely to fall far wanting the numbers of individuals in search of asylum. The scenario is very tense in Europe, which remains to be recovering from division and political crises stoked by an inflow of refugees from Syria and Libya. For the reason that Taliban retook Afghanistan, Greece finished constructing a wall alongside a part of its border with Turkey over considerations refugees would cross into the European bloc by land.
Tangent
Airbnb encourages its hosts to donate stays at their properties throughout occasions of disaster. Airbnb.org, an impartial nonprofit that works with Airbnb for this function, said it has helped 75,000 individuals discover locations to remain in occasions of disaster since 2012.
Additional Studying
Will Rich Nations Take In Afghan Refugees? Right here’s What Europe, Canada And The U.S. Are Doing. (Forbes)
U.S. Goals To Go away Kabul By Subsequent Week As Taliban Vows ‘Penalties’ If Delayed (Forbes)
New Airbnb Hosts Have Earned $1 Billion Since The Pandemic Started (Forbes)
European leaders fear repeat of 2015 crisis with Afghan refugees (FT)
Afghan Refugees Find a Harsh and Unfriendly Border in Turkey (NYT)