UN: Return of Migrants Can Transform Afghanistan’s Local Economy
DID Press: As Afghanistan faces one of the largest waves of returning migrants in decades, the UN says the trend represents not only a humanitarian challenge but also a potential economic opportunity to rebuild and strengthen local communities.
More than three million Afghanistan citizens have returned from neighboring countries over the past two years, in what UN agencies describe as one of the most extensive reverse migration flows recently.
According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), more than two million Afghanistani migrants—mostly from Iran and Pakistan—returned in 2025 alone. While the sudden influx has stretched Afghanistan’s already limited capacity to provide jobs, services, and infrastructure, the UN says the returnees also bring technical skills, work experience, and capital that can play a vital role in reconstruction if supported properly.
“The arrival of returnees, while putting pressure on Afghanistan’s scarce resources, offers a real opportunity to boost entrepreneurship, create jobs, and drive local development,” UN said in a statement.
Many returnees, having spent years abroad, are bringing financial resources, technical expertise, and regional networks that can revitalize key sectors such as agriculture, construction, handicrafts, and services.
UN Development Programme (UNDP), working with humanitarian partners, has rolled out emergency and development-focused initiatives. At the Torkham border crossing, returnees are provided with medical checks, food, temporary shelter, legal aid, and transport. Longer-term projects include “cash-for-work” programs, road and water system repairs, housing construction, and vocational training.
Afghanistan’s health system is also under growing strain. With support from the Global Fund, new screening programs for communicable diseases—including HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis—have been launched. A mobile app to track tuberculosis patients is also being introduced across Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.