UN to expand employment, aid efforts for Afghan returnees — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan Rabab Fatima says the United Nations will step up its efforts to provide employment and assistance to returning refugees and alternative livelihoods to farmers in Afghanistan. Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi met Rabab Fatima and her accompanying delegation, the Presidential Palace said in a statement. Fatima expressed happiness at being given the opportunity to serve the Afghan people, praised the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) development activities and expressed hope that officials’ efforts to promote Afghanistan’s economic development and reconstruction would continue. She said that, alongside coordinating humanitarian assistance for Afghans, the UN intended to increase its efforts in various areas, including strengthening cooperation, providing alternative livelihoods to farmers, creating employment opportunities for returning refugees and distributing assistance. She described the management of returning refugees as one of Afghanistan’s major challenges, adding that IEA officials had dealt with it effectively. Referring to the return of more than eight million refugees, Hanafi said the IEA would use all its available resources to assist and support them. He added that institutions responsible for protecting refugees’ rights should increase their efforts and cooperation to provide returning refugees with employment and shelter.