Published on: 2026-05-19
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
ООН together with non-governmental organizations, presentedplan for providing humanitarian aid to Afghan returneesuntil 2026.Support, according to the plan, will receive about 2.7 million Afghans, who are expected to return from Iran and Pakistan between April and December 2026.
Scale of return
According to available data, as of September 2023, almost 5.9 million people have returned to Afghanistan, meaning that over two years the country’s population has increased by 10-12 percent (excluding the annual population growth, which in 2026 is estimated at 2.74 percent). In 2025 alone, 2.9 million returnees arrived in the country, and in the first four months of 2026 — another 600 thousand people.
It is expected that in the next eight months, approximately 1.7 million Afghans from Iran and about one million from Pakistan will return home.
“The speech is about a serious demographic and socio-economic problem that requires long-term measures and full financing,” said the acting UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan, Tajudin Oyewale.
He noted that more than half of those returning are women and children, many of whom were born and raised outside Afghanistan and do not have strong ties to local communities. According to him, in addition to emergency humanitarian aid, long-term investments in housing, healthcare, and job creation are necessary to prevent the growth of poverty, social tension, and repeated displacement of the population.
Two-level strategy
The new response plan is based on a two-level strategy, which provides for both emergency assistance at the border and medium- and long-term reintegration support for returning Afghans.
Thus, 100.7 million dollars are planned to be sent for emergency response measures at the border. This concerns multipurpose assistance, including cash payments, medical and sanitary services, food and transport, which will be provided at the main official border crossing point with Iran and Pakistan under the guidance of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Reintegration and support of communities
Another 428.5 million dollars is planned to be directed to support reintegration in the return area. The program will be aimed at restoring access to basic services, including education, healthcare, and water supply, creating economic opportunities, and providing housing and land rights.
Call to donors
“The scale of the needs is enormous, but the potential of UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, and our partners remains significant,” said Tamindra De Silva, representative of the international humanitarian organization World Vision International in Afghanistan.
According to her, about 100 million dollars are required only for the work of humanitarian organizations at the border. At the same time, the existing funding will allow assistance to be provided to only an insignificant percentage of returnees.
The United Nations and partner non-governmental organizations have called on donors to fully finance the assistance plan for returning Afghans for 2026, in order to prevent a deterioration of the humanitarian situation, as well as to create a foundation for the reintegration of millions of Afghans.
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