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Afghan ministries and UN agencies meet to tackle refugee-related issues
The deputy head of UNAMA, Indrika Ratwatte, said in turn that since 2023, over 800,000 Afghan refugees have returned from Pakistan.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations, in collaboration with the United Nations in Afghanistan (UNAMA) met Monday to discuss challenges relating to refugees and internally displaced Afghans.
According to a statement issued by the ministry, international organizations and other relevant ministries attended the meeting, while the Minister of Refugees and Repatriations Maulawi Abdul Kabir was also present.
Addressing the meeting he emphasized the critical need for assistance to both refugees and displaced families.
Kabir also highlighted the profound impact of decades of conflict in the country which resulted in millions of Afghans being either displaced or leaving the country.
He also condemned the expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan and said such actions and the treatment of these individuals has impacted relations between the two countries.
Kabir called on the international community to increase assistance by providing necessary resources for the refugees including the building of shelters for affected individuals.
Representatives from UNAMA and other UN agencies shared their insights with participants and noted their continued commitment to supporting refugee-related issues.
The deputy head of UNAMA, Indrika Ratwatte, said in turn that since 2023, over 800,000 Afghan refugees have returned from Pakistan.
He said, since then, the UN and other agencies have spent a combined $183 million on humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan. He also said the UN was committed to continue assisting Afghans.
Representatives from various ministries, including Public Health, Economy, Agriculture, Education, Rural Rehabilitation and Development, Urban Development and Housing, Labor and Social Affairs Ministries and the Afghan Red Crescent, National Disaster Management and National Statistics and Information Authorities, also presented their collaborative plans to enhance service delivery for Afghan refugees.
Dealing with hundreds of thousands of return refugees from Pakistan has become a priority for both the Islamic Emirate government and foreign aid agencies.
Tens of thousands of Afghans have been crossing back into Afghanistan since Pakistan ramped up its campaign on April 1 to deport them.
Many of these refugees have lived in Pakistan for decades – some for more than 40 years. Many have no where to go once in the country and have had to leave everything behind – including homes, businesses, livestock and possessions.
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has emphasized the continuation of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, stating that the ongoing provision of such aid plays an important role in ensuring regional security.
Speaking at the international conference “Peace and Trust” in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, Tokayev described addressing complex humanitarian challenges and the reconstruction of Afghanistan as a necessity.
“To ensure regional security, we consider it essential to continue providing assistance to Afghanistan, including by strengthening international efforts to address complex humanitarian issues and the reconstruction of this country. Kazakhstan remains committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan through humanitarian aid, educational projects, trade development, and food security initiatives,” he said.
Meanwhile, experts believe that sustainable improvement of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan requires broad cooperation from the international community and support for the country’s economic development.
“Investment can be defined as one of the fundamental drivers of the economic cycle, and whenever Afghan traders do not take their money out of the country and instead invest domestically, it naturally leads to greater growth and dynamism in Afghanistan’s economy,” said Abdul Zahoor Modabber, an economic analyst.
As the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan continues, reports by international relief organizations indicate that millions of citizens of the country are in urgent need of food, health, and livelihood assistance.
The reduction in funding for aid organizations, the impacts of climate change, and the return of migrants have increased concerns about a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the country.
The Islamic Emirate has announced that it will not participate in the upcoming meeting of special envoys of regional countries on Afghanistan, scheduled to be held in Tehran, despite having received an invitation.
In a statement, Zia Ahmad Takal, Head of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the Islamic Emirate has maintained continuous and active engagement with all regional countries through various organizations, regional formats, and bilateral mechanisms, achieving notable progress in promoting mutual understanding and regional cooperation.
The statement added that Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes regional cooperation should be advanced by strengthening existing mechanisms and formats within the region.
Tehran is set to host the meeting next week, with special envoys from Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Russia expected to attend.
Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, Minister of Interior of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said during a visit to Khost province on Friday that any government which rules through fear cannot be considered a true government.
“A government is one that is loved by its people, one that serves them with respect and compassion, and from whose behavior people learn ethics and sincerity,” he said.
Haqqani also stressed that Afghans who opposed the Islamic Emirate in the past should be tolerated and treated in a way that helps eliminate hostility and animosity, paving the way for national cohesion.
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