Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, called for immediate international assistance on Tuesday after witnessing what she described as a humanitarian emergency unfolding at the Islam Qala border crossing, where tens of thousands of Afghan returnees are arriving daily.
“What should be a positive homecoming moment for families who fled conflict decades ago is instead marked by exhaustion, trauma, and profound uncertainty,” Otunbayeva said during her visit to the border, where she met with returnees, aid agencies, and local officials.
Since the beginning of 2025, more than 1.3 million Afghans have returned—many involuntarily—from neighboring countries, most notably Iran and Pakistan, straining already fragile communities and services in a country where 70 percent of the population lives in poverty.
The influx, compounded by drought, widespread unemployment, and an underfunded aid system, has left humanitarian agencies struggling to meet basic needs. Women and children face the gravest risks, returning not only to economic hardship but to severe restrictions on education, mobility, and healthcare under Taliban rule.
“The sheer volume of returns—many abrupt, many involuntary—should be setting off alarm bells across the global community,” Otunbayeva said. “Afghanistan cannot absorb this shock alone. It is a test of our collective humanity.”
UN officials say many of the returnees were deported with little notice and few resources. While local Taliban authorities and communities have made efforts to assist, humanitarian operations remain dangerously underfunded, forcing agencies to choose between food, shelter, and protection services, UNAMA said.
Otunbayeva stressed the need for immediate investment in reintegration programs, including livelihood support and community infrastructure, warning that without such assistance, Afghanistan risks further instability.
“Remittance losses, labor market pressures, and cyclical migration could lead to renewed displacement and mass onward movement,” she said. “We are facing a destabilization threat—not just within Afghanistan, but across the region.”
She urged donors, development partners, and regional governments not to look away.
“The returnees must not be abandoned. What we are witnessing are the direct consequences of unmet global responsibilities. We must act now—with resources, with coordination, and with resolve.”
The UN has called for an integrated response that combines emergency humanitarian aid with long-term development support in areas of return. It has also urged renewed regional dialogue—particularly with Iran, Pakistan, and Central Asian states—to ensure that all returns are conducted in a safe, voluntary, and dignified manner.
“Afghanistan’s stability hinges on shared responsibility,” Otunbayeva said. “We cannot afford indifference. The cost of inaction will be measured in lives lost and conflicts reignited.”
