Ali Reza Danesh/ Among the countries that accept refugees, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been sheltering a large number of Afghan refugees in difficult conditions for nearly five decades. Today, according to official statistics and the new classification of the Iranian Ministry of Interior, less than three million legal Afghan refugees live in the country and enjoy many citizenship privileges. In addition, more than three million other refugees reside in Iran illegally, of which nearly 2 million have returned to Afghanistan since last year.
Publish dateSaturday 19 July 2025 - 17:24
Story Code : 322300
These days, we are witnessing the return of refugees to Afghanistan at a time when, although the country’s security situation has improved, it is still struggling with economic problems and challenges. These problems are, above all, caused by the West’s destructive policies towards the Islamic Emirate.
However, the measures that the government and the people of Afghanistan must take towards their returnees to fundamentally solve their problems and stop the cycle of migration forever have not been significantly and fundamentally put on the agenda so far. International organizations and domestic charitable institutions have also focused more on solving the daily problems of returnees; an approach that may be useful in the short term, but does not have a lasting impact on improving their situation.
In the following, two basic solutions for a lasting solution to the problems of returnees will be discussed:
1- Providing work and employment opportunities within the country
One of the main reasons for migration is the lack of job opportunities in Afghanistan. Many of the migrants who are being returned to the country today had gone to Iran to earn a living. Employment creation is, first and foremost, the responsibility of the government, and both intellectual and physical jobs should be planned for the country's workforce.
Afghanistan is a country rich in natural resources and has a high capacity for agriculture and animal husbandry. The government can provide employment opportunities by extracting minerals, distributing agricultural land, and activating factories, thus preventing further migration.
In the second step, cooperation between regional and global countries and the Afghan government is also vital. This cooperation can take the form of activating industries, establishing industrial towns, and extracting minerals.
2- Building housing and towns for returnees
Although the Islamic Emirate has taken steps in this regard, it is not enough alone. Neighboring countries and international institutions must also seriously cooperate with the government.
With the beginning of the process of returning refugees, the price of renting houses and land in Kabul and major cities has increased sharply. For example, the rent for a standard room in Kabul has reached about three thousand Afghanis, which is impossible for many returnees to pay such rent.
It is essential that the government and the people act responsibly in this regard. People should be fair to their fellow citizens and, through solidarity and harmony, lighten the burden of problems.
To better manage this situation, several solutions are suggested:
Issuing construction permits:
One of the causes of the increase in rents is the restriction on the construction of new houses. Liberalizing construction according to municipal regulations, in addition to reducing rents, also creates jobs.
Setting appropriate rent rates:
The government can prevent excessive increases in rents by setting a rent ceiling based on local conditions and situations.
Distribution of agricultural land:
Paying attention to rural areas and distributing agricultural land among the people both reduces migration to cities and balances population density.
Conclusion:
The Afghan government can fundamentally resolve the problems of returnees and the entire country by attracting domestic and foreign aid, mobilizing the public, and enlisting the cooperation of neighboring countries, in addition to immediately responding to the needs of returnees in emergency situations, by creating job opportunities, building settlements, and developing economic infrastructure.
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