This opinion piece prepared by Edmund Rice Centre Director, Phil Glendenning, expresses grave concern at Australia's signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Afghanistan, and highlights up to date evidence that demonstrates that the security situation for civilians is deteriorating rather than improving.

The time has not yet come for Australia to be signing an MoU with Afghanistan to permit the involuntary repatriation of unsuccessful asylum-seekers including children:

Edmund Rice Centre director, Phil Glendenning today called for the international community to take urgent action to support those nations most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Speaking on his departure from Sydney to attend this month's UN climate change summit in Cancun, Mexico, Mr Glendenning gave voice to the needs of low-lying communities who are already dealing with the impacts of climate change.

The Edmund Rice Centre today called for this month's UN Climate Change Summit in Cancun, Mexico to take seriously the concerns of the vulnerable nations as expressed in the recently accorded 'Ambo Declaration'.

The Edmund Rice Centre today welcomed the announcement that children and their families would soon be released from immigration detention facilities.

In welcoming the move by the Government, ERC Director Phil Glendenning said, “Detaining children and their families has been a long well-documented cause of serious emotional and mental distress, especially to children and families who have fled from situations of war and persecution.”

Whilst welcoming Immigration Minister Chris Bowen's lifting of the freeze on processing of Afghan asylum claims, the Edmund Rice Centre today expressed serious concerns about the Minister's statement that he now expects lower numbers of successful claims.