6.8m refugees return home, 1.3m displaced internally: Minister

KABUL (Pajhwok): Minister of Refugees and Repatriation Mawlawi Abdul Kabir says as many as 6.8 million Afghan refugees have returned to the country over the past four years, while 1.3 million people internally displaced due to natural disasters.

He made these remarks during a joint meeting of a working group formed by the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR) with relevant ministries and institutions to finalise the draft plan for durable solutions to displacement, MoRR said in a statement.

It quoted Kabir as saying that stability in Afghanistan and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) control across the entire country had led to a decline in migration, with a significant reduction in the number of Afghans leaving the country. However, he did not specify the extent of the decrease.

He also noted that over the past more than four years, 1.3 million Afghans were displaced internally as a result of natural disasters.

The minister added the durable solutions plan would be effective in addressing both refugee issues and the challenges faced by internally displaced persons (IDPs), in improving coordination among relevant government and international institutions, mobilising assistance, identifying needs and clarifying areas of work.

During the meeting, deputy ministers and representatives from the ministries of education), agriculture, irrigation and livestock, public health, the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) and Kabul Municipality shared their views on the draft plan.

The relevant committee was tasked with sharing the draft with institutions to enrich its content and prepare for the next meeting.

According to reports, Afghan refugees are currently living in more than 100 countries worldwide, with the registered number exceeding six million. Iran, Pakistan and Germany are the largest host countries for Afghan refugees.

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