UN refugee chief urges Afghanistan-Pakistan dialogue as more than 6 million Afghans return home

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Barham Salih, has called on Afghanistan and Pakistan to ease tensions and revive diplomatic dialogue, while warning that Afghanistan urgently needs greater international support as millions of Afghans return home.

Speaking during a visit to Kabul and in an interview with Sky News, Salih said prolonged tensions between the neighbouring countries risk creating opportunities for extremist and armed groups to exploit instability, underscoring the need for dialogue and regional cooperation.

He urged both governments to strengthen existing diplomatic mechanisms, including the Afghanistan-Pakistan-Iran trilateral framework, the Doha process, and a Swiss-backed strategic initiative aimed at addressing challenges facing Afghan refugees.

Salih also highlighted the scale of Afghanistan’s humanitarian and development challenges, noting that more than six million Afghans have returned to the country since 2023, placing additional pressure on already strained communities and public services.

During his visit, Salih travelled with the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, Alexander De Croo, meeting returnees, host communities, women and girls, and witnessing both the hardships facing Afghans and their resilience.

He said Afghanistan’s long-term recovery depends on stability, inclusion and creating opportunities for all citizens, stressing that the participation of women and girls is essential for sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction and social resilience.

While humanitarian assistance remains vital, Salih said emergency aid alone is no longer sufficient to meet Afghanistan’s growing needs.

He called for increased investment in protection programmes, livelihoods, education, healthcare and other basic services to help returnees rebuild their lives and reduce dependence on humanitarian assistance.

“Lasting solutions require UNHCR and UNDP working side by side,” Salih said, urging the international community to maintain its engagement and support Afghanistan’s long-term recovery.

Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have remained strained in recent years over border security, militant activity and the mass return of Afghan nationals from Pakistan.

Humanitarian agencies have warned that continued regional instability, combined with the rapid influx of returnees, could deepen Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis unless accompanied by sustained international development support.