The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the European Union (EU) have signed a new agreement to continue to support displaced Afghans and host communities in Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and countries in Central Asia.
According to this agreement, with substantial EU funding of €36 million, hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees, returnees, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) will benefit from essential protection, livelihood opportunities, and other basic services.
Veronika Boskovic Pohar, chargée d’affaires of Delegation of the European Union to Afghanistan, said: “The EU will continue our strong support to Afghans on the move. This new contribution to UNHCR is part of a bigger EU effort in the area of migration.”
According to the EU report, Afghans represent one of the world’s largest refugee populations, with 2.6 million registered globally. Of these some 2.2 million are in Iran and Pakistan.
Additionally, some 3.2 million people remain internally displaced within Afghanistan and hundreds of thousands have returned from neighbouring countries since September 2023.
UNHCR’s Representative in Afghanistan, Arafat Jamal, said: “This longstanding partnership with the European Union marks a significant step forward in our efforts to support Afghan returnees and refugees in host countries.”
Although war is no longer the main cause of displacement, international organizations and the United Nations speak of the existence of a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
The report states that child labor, related violence, and restrictions on women are among the important factors that have caused the migration of Afghan citizens.