KABUL: The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has stated that the people of Afghanistan, affected by poverty, displacement, and climate change, require support at both regional and international levels. Guterres made the remarks during the opening of the Central Asia and Afghanistan Sustainable Development Goals Center in Almaty, Kazakhstan. He noted that the Afghan people are grappling with severe challenges due to poverty, the detrimental effects of climate change, and migration, and emphasized that the region and the world must rally to support Afghanistan. Previously, various international organizations, including the United Nations, have stressed the need for global support for Afghanistan. Guterres’s comments come at a time when the return of Afghans from neighboring countries has significantly increased in recent months. Reports indicate that nearly one million Afghans have been forcibly returned from Iran alone over the past two months. A few days ago, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) called on neighboring countries, particularly Iran, to cease the forced repatriation of Afghans and to pursue this process in a manner that protects the rights of refugees.
