Afghanistan, May 19 -- United Nations and humanitarian organizations on Tuesday launched a US$529 million response plan to support an estimated 2.7 million Afghan returnees expected to arrive from Iran and Pakistan between April and December 2026.
The new 2026 Response Plan for Afghan Returnees focuses on emergency border assistance and long-term reintegration support for Afghans returning to communities across Afghanistan.
UN officials said nearly 5.9 million Afghans have returned since September 2023, including 2.9 million in 2025 and another 600,000 during the first four months of 2026.
"This is not a short-term border event. It is a profound demographic and development challenge," said Tajudeen Oyewale, warning that insufficient fund...