Afghan returnees need jobs, UN refugee chief warns

UN refugee chief Barham Salih urged international support for millions of Afghans returned from Iran and Pakistan, warning during a Kabul visit on Wednesday that failure to help them reintegrate could deepen social and security problems.

More than six million Afghans have returned from the two countries since September 2023 after migration policies tightened. Another two million are expected to be pushed back this year, in what the United Nations calls one of the world's largest population repatriation movements.

Returnees are going back to a country facing a humanitarian crisis, with more than 17 million people in Afghanistan in need of urgent assistance. The UN mission in Afghanistan said more than 90 percent of Afghans returning from Iran and Pakistan are unable to meet basic needs, and that only 3 percent have formal employment in provinces receiving large numbers of returnees.

Salih said the UN refugee agency needs $200 million to support returnees with employment, housing and healthcare. He said $60 million had been secured so far and that the agency hoped the figure would reach about $100 million by the end of the year.

He also repeated calls for Taliban authorities to lift restrictions affecting women and girls. Salih said Afghan authorities told UN officials they were reviewing the situation and the requests made to them.