A new report released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has warned that Afghanistan is facing overlapping and severe crises, as millions of people continue returning to the country despite widespread poverty and failing essential services.
According to the report, decades of conflict, economic decline, and climate disasters have “eroded local resilience, leaving most households unable to meet even their most basic needs,” a situation the agency described as “a perfect storm”.
The UNDP stated that the scale of displacement has sharply accelerated since 2023. Emphasising the pressure on communities, the report states that “More than 4.5 million people have returned to Afghanistan since September 2023,” swelling the population and stretching already fragile support systems.
The influx continued into this year; more than 2.3 million Afghans have returned in 2025 alone, many forcibly, increasing competition for necessities.
Their arrival has “increased competition for jobs, water, and housing,” pushing host communities “to the limit of their capacity.”
Unemployment remains one of the most urgent concerns. In some areas, returnee joblessness “ranged from 80 to 95%,” leaving families with few options for survival.
Skilled workers interviewed for the report said, “We have skills but no money to start a business.”
Households are increasingly relying on desperate measures. Across high-return districts, 90% of households report negative coping strategies, including borrowing, meal reduction, or selling assets. According to the report
Basic infrastructures are also failing under pressure. UNDP found that over half of returnee households (55%) are being forced to skip healthcare so they can afford food, while many rely on open springs or unprotected wells as water sources dry up.
On Wednesday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warned on X that refugee returns from Pakistan “continue, averaging 7,000 per day,” and called for urgent support as winter approaches.
AnewZ attempted to reach Afghan authorities for comment but has not received a response.
The report concludes with a warning that “Urgent action is needed now,” emphasising that Afghans “are not passive recipients of aid but agents of recovery.”
A torpedo from a U.S. submarine sunk an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth told reporters as ...
A U.S. submarine strike sank an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, leaving at least 80 dead, the country&...
The election of Iran’s next supreme leader could provide an opportunity to end the ongoing regional war involving Israel, the U.S. and ...
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the United States is making gains in its conflict with Iran after a key I...
The U.S. Department of Defense has released a video of a submarine strike on an Iranian warship off the southern Sri Lankan coast. At least 80 peop...
A U.S. submarine strike sank an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, leaving at least 80 dead, the country’s deputy foreign minister said. Meanwhile, Iran postponed the funeral of its late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to state media.
The election of Iran’s next supreme leader could provide an opportunity to end the ongoing regional war involving Israel, the U.S. and Iran, Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the United States is making gains in its conflict with Iran after a key Iranian naval target was destroyed, confirming that the strike was carried out by a U.S. submarine off the coast of Sri Lanka. Rescue efforts are now under way for the ship’s crew.
The U.S. Department of Defense has released a video of a submarine strike on an Iranian warship off the southern Sri Lankan coast. At least 80 people died in the U.S. attack on the vessel, Sri Lanka's Deputy Foreign Minister said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. military has enough stockpiled weapons to fight wars "forever"; in a social media post late on Monday. The remarks came hours before conflict in Iran and the Middle East entered its fourth day.
U.S. first lady, Melania Trump chaired a UN Security Council meeting on children and education in conflict on Monday (2 March), a move criticised by Iran as hypocritical following U.S. and Israeli strikes that triggered a UN warning about risks to children.
A torpedo from a U.S. submarine sunk an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth told reporters as the Iranian conflcit entered its fifth day on Wednesday.
The U.S. embassy in Riyadh was hit by two drones resulting in a limited fire and some material damage, the kingdom's defence ministry said in a post on X on Tuesday, citing an initial assessment.
Shahid Motahari Sub-Speciality Hospital in northern Tehran and parts of the Golestan Palace were bombed on day two of the U.S.‑Israel strikes. AnewZ Touraj Shiralilou is in Iran's capital city and said that the facility was flattened in an airstrike.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the United States is making gains in its conflict with Iran after a key Iranian naval target was destroyed, confirming that the strike was carried out by a U.S. submarine off the coast of Sri Lanka. Rescue efforts are now under way for the ship’s crew.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 4th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Strikes across the Middle East are intensifying, fuelling travel disruption, driving up global energy prices and forcing diplomatic missions to shut their doors.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said the United States has a “virtually unlimited supply” of munitions and is capable of sustaining military action indefinitely, as the conflict with Iran entered its fourth day.
The United Nations has called for an investigation into a deadly attack on a girls’ primary school in Iran, which Iranian officials say has killed more than 100 children. The U.S. has said its forces “would not” deliberately target a school.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment