KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The government of Japan has pledged $1.5 million in funding to assist Afghan returnees from neighboring Iran and Pakistan, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced Monday.
In a statement, IOM welcomed Japan’s latest pledge, noting that it will enable the organization to provide emergency assistance and enhance the economic resilience of thousands of people along the Afghan border with Iran and Pakistan.
According to the statement, the funding will provide post-arrival humanitarian assistance to nearly 5,000 Afghan returnees arriving from Iran and Pakistan. It will also support strengthening the resilience of thousands of internally displaced persons and host communities in eastern Nangarhar province.
“The long-standing commitment of the Government of Japan to IOM’s operations in Afghanistan allows us to reach people returning back to the country in vulnerable situations, often carrying nothing but the clothes on their back,” said IOM Afghanistan’s Chief of Mission, Miah Park.
“Japan’s generous contribution also represents an investment in Afghan communities which will generate opportunities to learn new skills and launch their own businesses,” she added.
The Ambassador of Japan to Afghanistan, KUROMIYA Takayoshi, was quoted in the statement as saying, “Empowering Afghan communities is at the core of Japan’s humanitarian aid and support for basic human needs.”
“Through this partnership with IOM, we are steadfast in our commitment to enabling individuals rebuild their lives with dignity, while fostering a foundation for lasting resilience and stability across the country,” he added.
The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has worsened since the Taliban took control, making it one of the world’s most severe crises. According to the UN, nearly 24 million people now need humanitarian assistance.
According to the World Food Programme (WFP), at least 15 million people in Afghanistan—one in every three—do not know where their next meal will come from. Multiple factors, including the high influx of returnees, widespread internal displacement, devastating natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods, and escalating poverty and unemployment, drive this rising need.
According to the UN, over two million people, mostly women and children, were deported or voluntarily returned from Iran and Pakistan over the past two years. Afghan refugees return with almost nothing, and the Taliban authorities have proven unable to manage the crisis.
