UNHCR Executive Committee on the Afghan refugee situation with

Statement by Minister for States and Frontier Regions
of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Abdul Qadir Baloch.
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Afghan refugees remain the largest population in protracted displacement under UNHCR’s mandate. More than 2.6 million Afghans are living in exile around the world, but the vast majority is hosted in the two neighboring countries of the Islamic Republics of Iran and Pakistan. While these two countries host 950,000 and 1.5 million registered Afghan refugees respectively, they are also impacted by the presence of an estimated 2 million unregistered Afghans.

The high-level segment on the Afghan refugee situation will provide an opportunity for States, intergovernmental organizations, United Nations entities, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to discuss challenges and solutions, make commitments in support of Afghanistan and the two main host countries, and agree on follow-up actions that will guide the period ahead. The over-arching objective is to reinvigorate action and mobilize the international community to support durable solutions through protection, assistance and development-oriented efforts.
This year’s high-level segment is timely for a number of reasons. Firstly, the newly formed Afghan National Unity Government has made a firm commitment to supporting returns and reintegration in the context of the “transformation decade.” Secondly, despite this unique opportunity to make progress, major gaps in the implementation of the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees to support Voluntary Repatriation, Sustainable Reintegration and Assistance to Host Countries (SSAR) exist and must be urgently addressed. Thirdly, the attention of the international community has shifted to new emergencies and refugee returns from the host countries have reached an all-time low. Afghan refugees count on the support of the international community to put an end to their decades-long plight. This concept note provides initial information on the theme and desired outcomes of the high-level segment.

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