Afghanistan Lacks Infrastructure to Support Millions of Migrants, Warns UN

DIDPress: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) released a concerning report, saying that Afghanistan is not adequately prepared to handle the massive wave of returnees being sent back from neighboring countries.

According to the report, nearly 3 million Afghan migrants have returned to the country since last September. Many of these returns have been involuntary and occurred without sufficient preparation for housing and supporting the returnees.

Arifat Jamal, the Head of UNHCR for Afghanistan, emphasized returnees will face difficult and alarming conditions. Afghanistan lacks the necessary infrastructure and basic services, such as housing, healthcare, and education, to accommodate such a large influx of people.

The severe shortage of funding and financial resources has further exacerbated these challenges, with financial assistance to returnees significantly reduced. This raises concerns about the potential for further migration and the dangerous humanitarian and social consequences that could follow.

The UN urged the neighboring countries, especially Iran and Pakistan, to uphold the human rights and dignity of Afghanistan migrants.

Furthermore, the UN stressed the need for greater international support for Afghanistan to manage the return crisis and meet the housing, health, and education needs of the returnees.