Afghanistan will require nearly $129 million to rebuild homes, schools and critical infrastructure in three earthquake-affected provinces, according to a new UN-led assessment reported by Reuters. The report warns of severe funding shortfalls as international support for the country continues to decline.
The Joint Rapid Recovery Needs Assessment (JRRNA) — prepared by the United Nations in collaboration with the World Bank, the European Union and the Asian Development Bank — outlines a three-year recovery plan for Kunar, Nangarhar and Laghman provinces in the east of the country.
According to Reuters, the assessment estimates $86.6 million in direct damage caused by the earthquakes, which affected 10 districts and more than 56,000 families. Over 6,200 homes collapsed, while another 2,000 were severely damaged. Eighty schools and 22 health facilities were also hit. The full cost of recovery is pegged at $128.8 million, with housing representing the largest need at $54.9 million.
“The earthquake-hit communities are already strained by drought, mass returns, and a sharp economic contraction,” said Stephen Rodriguez, the UN’s resident coordinator in Afghanistan, in comments to Reuters. “There is very limited capacity left to cope with another shock.”
UN agencies have distributed emergency tents and cash to thousands of displaced families, but Rodriguez noted that this support is “nowhere near enough” to help communities transition from crisis to recovery without longer-term investment.
According to the JRRNA, nearly 10,000 households are in urgent need of shelter, while 7,700 individuals remain displaced weeks after the earthquakes.
Rodriguez told Reuters that a major donor recently cut between $80 million and $90 million in funding, resulting in the closure of more than 400 health centers during the first half of 2025. He did not name the donor, but said essential services have been scaled back significantly, even as humanitarian needs grow.
The UN Development Programme plans to seek $150 million next year to support infrastructure, job creation and the private sector. This includes $43 million earmarked for the reintegration of Afghan refugees returning from Iran and Pakistan.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, 4.3 to 4.5 million Afghans have returned, many forcibly, according to UN officials. An additional 2.5 million in Iran and 1.7 million in Pakistan could be deported if current policies in those countries continue.
Rodriguez warned that Afghanistan’s absorptive capacity is at its limit. He told Reuters that 88 percent of returnees are in debt and just 4 percent have salaried jobs. With approximately 400,000 young Afghans entering the job market each year, he cautioned that delays in reconstruction and reintegration could heighten social tensions and fuel outward migration.
While international donors have scaled back support due to concerns over governance and human rights under Taliban rule, humanitarian agencies warn that underfunding could worsen conditions for civilians already reeling from economic collapse and repeated natural disasters.
Without significant new funding, the UN and its partners warn that reconstruction efforts could stall — leaving tens of thousands of families exposed to further hardship.
