IOM and EU Humanitarian Aid Provide Critical Support to Nearly 200,000 Vulnerable Afghans
13 March 2025
Kabul – A longstanding partnership between the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the European Union, through its Directorate General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), has enabled critical assistance for nearly 200,000 vulnerable Afghans since late 2023. This support was vital in light of record numbers of forced returns following a Pakistani government deadline for undocumented Afghans to leave the country, as well as the devastating earthquakes that struck Herat province in October 2023.
The EU-funded project, which concluded in December 2024, allowed IOM to provide essential post-arrival humanitarian aid at eight reception and transit centers in Herat, Nimroz, Kandahar, and Nangarhar provinces. Through this project, IOM assisted over 190,500 vulnerable returnees from Pakistan and Iran, offering overnight accommodation, hot meals, cash for transportation and multi-purpose cash assistance, health and psychosocial support, as well as specialized protection assistance.
IOM’s rapid and targeted support helped many navigate immediate hardships. “We spent decades building our life in Pakistan, but it all ended overnight when we were forced to return. The challenges were immense,” said Nergiz, a single mother of three who received post-arrival assistance at the IOM reception center in Torkham. “Having a safe place to stay, meals for my children, and medical help made all the difference.”
The project also played a crucial role in the emergency response to the Herat earthquakes, deploying psychosocial mobile teams to assist over 7,990 affected people through 15,979 focused individual and group consultations. To strengthen disaster preparedness, the project enabled the prepositioning of emergency shelter and non-food items in 12 warehouses across Afghanistan, ensuring a rapid response during emergencies.
“At a time where economic hardship and the increasing impact of climate change are driving communities to the edge, the EU remains a strong, reliable and committed humanitarian partner in Afghanistan. EU Humanitarian Aid has enabled IOM to continue its lifesaving work, reaching hundreds of thousands of Afghans in dire need; whether through post-arrival support for returnees or emergency aid for earthquake survivors,” said François Goemans, Head of the European Union’s humanitarian aid office in Afghanistan.
“Now, more than ever, sustained support is critical. Returnees continue to arrive in growing numbers, and frequent disasters further drive humanitarian needs and displacement. To end the negative cycle of irregular and forced migration, we hope to continue our valuable partnership with the European Union and other donors to ensure that assistance reaches those who need it most,” said IOM Afghanistan Chief of Mission Mihyung Park.
Afghanistan remains one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with nearly half the population—some 22.9 million people—in urgent need, according to the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan.
For more information, please contact:
Avand Azeez Agha
Media and Communications Officer
Contact: Phone +93 79 410 0542 - Email avhasan@iom.int
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