The European Union has allocated €20 million ($23 million) to support Afghans returning from neighboring countries, providing new funding to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) as Afghanistan grapples with one of the world’s largest displacement crises.
The funding, announced jointly by the EU and IOM, will be used to expand assistance for returnees, internally displaced people and host communities in provinces experiencing large numbers of arrivals.
The announcement comes as Afghanistan faces a sharp increase in returns from Iran and Pakistan, where authorities have stepped up efforts to deport or encourage undocumented Afghans to leave.
According to IOM data, more than 2.8 million undocumented Afghans returned from Iran and Pakistan in 2025 alone, many arriving with limited financial resources and facing difficulties accessing housing, employment and basic services.
“The European Union has been a longstanding partner of IOM in responding to displacement and return in Afghanistan,” said Mutya Maskun, IOM Afghanistan’s deputy chief of mission.
“At a time when millions of Afghans continue to return to communities already struggling with limited resources and services, this contribution will enable IOM to expand critical support, strengthen livelihoods, support small businesses and enhance access to essential services,” Maskun said.
The funding will support a range of programs, including protection services, health care, psychosocial assistance, vocational training and livelihood projects aimed at helping returnees reintegrate into their communities.
Particular emphasis will be placed on supporting women and other vulnerable groups through skills training and assistance for small and medium-sized businesses, according to IOM.
The organization said it would also expand its network of Community Resource Centres, which provide legal assistance, counseling, health services and referrals for people returning to Afghanistan.
Veronika Bošković Pohar, chargé d’affaires of the European Union Delegation to Afghanistan, said the funding reflects the bloc’s continued commitment to helping Afghans rebuild their lives after returning.
“The European Union remains firm in its commitment to support the reintegration of returnees in Afghanistan, helping them transition from dependency towards self-reliance,” she said.
Since 2022, the EU has mobilized more than €140 million to address displacement and return-related challenges in Afghanistan, according to the delegation.
The latest funding comes as Afghanistan confronts mounting economic and humanitarian pressures. The United Nations estimates that millions of Afghans require humanitarian assistance, while communities receiving large numbers of returnees face growing strain on jobs, housing and public services.
International aid agencies have repeatedly warned that the continued return of hundreds of thousands of Afghans from neighboring countries could deepen existing humanitarian challenges unless additional support is provided for both returnees and the communities receiving them.
