Support for Afghan returnees has been renewed by the European Union and the United Kingdom as Afghanistan faces continued pressure from large-scale returns from Pakistan, Iran and other countries.
The statements came after World Refugee Day, observed on Saturday, June 20, 2026, and followed fresh UN-linked data showing that millions of Afghans have returned since late 2023, placing additional strain on housing, jobs, health services and local communities.
Support For Afghan Returnees Reaffirmed After World Refugee Day
The European Union said it remains committed to refugees, returnees, internally displaced people and host communities in Afghanistan, with support delivered through humanitarian partners including UNHCR and IOM.
The UK Mission for Afghanistan also said humanitarian aid, including assistance channelled through IOM in Afghanistan, helps vulnerable families returning to the country rebuild their lives.
The commitments focus on protection, humanitarian assistance, livelihoods and durable solutions for Afghans who have returned after years abroad, many of them without stable housing, income or access to basic services.
Returnees Face Housing, Jobs And Services Crisis
Afghan returnees arriving from neighbouring countries continue to report urgent needs, including shelter, employment, education for children, healthcare and access to documentation.
Many deported or pressured returnees arrive with limited cash and few belongings. Families returning after years in Pakistan or Iran may also lack land, housing or local support networks in Afghanistan.
Migration activists cited by Afghan media warned that summer conditions have worsened the hardship for returnees, particularly families without shelter. They urged Afghan authorities and international organisations to scale up assistance, including housing, job creation and basic services.
More Than 6 Million Afghans Returned Since 2023
The scale of the return movement has grown sharply. IOM’s June 2026 Returnee Resilience Overview said approximately 6.04 million Afghans returned from Iran and Pakistan between mid-September 2023 and Friday, May 30, 2026.
UNHCR’s Afghanistan data portal also shows continuing returns and assistance needs. It listed more than one million Afghan assisted returns since 2023, updated on Saturday, June 20, 2026. The same portal recorded 115,000 new internally displaced people in Afghanistan in 2026, according to OCHA data updated in March.
The figures underline why aid agencies are treating returns not only as a border-management issue, but as a wider reintegration and development challenge.
UN Plan Seeks Funding For 2.7 Million Expected Returnees
The United Nations and aid partners have launched the 2026 Response Plan for Afghan Returnees from Pakistan and Iran, seeking USD 529 million for border response and reintegration support.
The plan is based on an estimated 2.7 million Afghans projected to return between April and December 2026. It includes emergency assistance at border crossings and longer-term support in areas of return, such as shelter, healthcare, education, clean water, livelihoods and protection services.
Aid agencies have warned that underfunding could worsen poverty, secondary displacement and pressure on host communities already struggling with limited resources.
Afghanistan’s Humanitarian System Already Under Pressure
Afghanistan’s wider humanitarian situation remains severe. A UK government country policy note published in April 2026, drawing on UN and humanitarian sources, said about 21.9 million people, or 45 percent of the population, require humanitarian assistance in 2026.
The same assessment cited priority needs including food assistance, acute malnutrition treatment, essential health services, safe water, shelter and protection, especially for women and girls.
It also said 15.9 million people need water, sanitation and hygiene assistance, 14.4 million need health assistance and 4.2 million need shelter interventions. Returnees are among the groups most exposed to these pressures, particularly in provinces receiving large numbers of families from Pakistan and Iran.
Background
Afghan displacement has been shaped by decades of conflict, economic instability, political change and regional migration. Pakistan and Iran have hosted large Afghan populations for decades, but both countries have increased pressure on undocumented Afghans in recent years.
Since late 2023, returns have accelerated through a combination of deportations, voluntary departures and pressure on undocumented migrants. Many Afghans returning from Pakistan and Iran were born or raised outside Afghanistan, making reintegration more difficult.
International agencies say host communities inside Afghanistan are also vulnerable, meaning assistance must cover both returnees and local residents to reduce tension over jobs, housing, water and services.
What’s Next
The immediate test will be whether international donors fund the 2026 response plan at a level sufficient to cover both emergency border aid and reintegration support.
Afghan authorities are expected to face growing pressure to provide land, shelter, healthcare, education and employment options for returnees. Humanitarian groups are also likely to keep pressing Pakistan and Iran to ensure returns are voluntary, safe and dignified.
The renewed EU and UK support for Afghan returnees signals continued international concern, but the scale of the crisis means short-term aid alone will not be enough without sustained reintegration funding and protection for vulnerable families.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, June 22, 2026
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