UN Leaders Call for Continued Support as Afghanistan Faces Growing Displacement Crisis
Senior United Nations officials have called for stronger international support for Afghanistan, warning that the country is facing one of the world’s largest displacement crises as millions struggle with poverty, unemployment, natural disasters, and the return of hundreds of thousands of migrants.
During a joint visit to northern Afghanistan, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) chief Alexander De Croo and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) chief Barham Salih visited UN-supported projects in Mazar-e-Sharif and other communities to assess recovery efforts and meet returnee families, according to TOLOnews.
The two officials said Afghanistan’s long-term recovery depends on continued international assistance, cooperation with the country’s authorities, and creating opportunities for all Afghans.
Salih said decades of conflict, damaged infrastructure, limited access to essential services, and a weak labor market continue to make life difficult for millions. He urged the authorities to work with the international community and ensure fair treatment of all Afghans, including women, to help maintain international confidence and secure continued humanitarian support.
De Croo acknowledged that Afghanistan had made progress in some areas but said major challenges remain. He stressed that lasting solutions can only be achieved through dialogue, cooperation, and unity while reaffirming the UN’s commitment to keeping global attention focused on Afghanistan.
According to the latest UNDP socioeconomic review, about 29 million people roughly 74 percent of Afghanistan’s population are unable to meet their basic needs. The report says the country’s fragile economy, repeated droughts, earthquakes, and the arrival of around 2.7 million returnees have placed immense pressure on communities and public services.
The officials also visited recovery projects in earthquake-affected areas, where local residents are rebuilding homes, improving irrigation systems, and constructing flood protection walls. Many of these initiatives provide paid work for both men and women, helping families regain financial stability while strengthening community resilience.
Women employed through UN-supported projects said the opportunity to work has allowed them to support their families without depending on others. As deportations of Afghan migrants from Pakistan and Iran continue, humanitarian agencies say creating jobs and helping returnees rebuild their lives remain among the country’s most urgent priorities.
UN agencies are also expanding long-term recovery efforts by improving housing, restoring infrastructure, clearing mine-contaminated land, and creating economic opportunities for returnees, internally displaced people, and host communities, with the goal of helping Afghanistan move beyond emergency relief toward lasting recovery.
