The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Barham Salih, and the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Alexander De Croo, arrived in Kabul on Sunday for a visit focused on Afghanistan’s humanitarian and development challenges.
According to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, the two officials were received at Kabul International Airport by the ministry’s deputy minister, Abdul Rahman Rashid.
Welcoming the delegation, Rashid said a field visit provides a more accurate understanding of conditions in Afghanistan than written reports. He said millions of Afghans have lived abroad for years while maintaining ties to their homeland and expressed hope that greater attention to the needs of refugees would help protect their dignity and improve their living conditions.
Barham Salih said the purpose of the visit was to assess the challenges facing the Afghan people firsthand and explore ways to address them.
He added that around six million Afghans have returned to the country since 2023, describing the figure as a global record, and reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to supporting Afghans and ensuring humanitarian assistance reaches those in need.
UNDP’s De Croo said the United Nations maintains an active presence in Afghanistan and will continue supporting the country through development, healthcare and humanitarian assistance. He also pledged efforts to help create more employment opportunities for Afghans.
The ministry said the visit reflects the international community’s commitment to supporting the Afghan people as they face ongoing economic and humanitarian challenges.
