Austria will sign an agreement with Uzbekistan next month to facilitate deportations, including the return of Afghan nationals via the Central Asian country, Austria’s Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.

The move comes as several European Union member states explore partnerships outside the bloc to manage deportations and establish so-called “return hubs” for failed asylum seekers as part of broader efforts to curb irregular migration.

While EU institutions continue negotiating the legal framework for such arrangements, a group of countries — including Denmark, Austria, Greece, Germany and Netherlands — announced in March that they would proceed with planning and coordination.

According to a government statement, Austria’s interior and foreign ministers are scheduled to travel to Uzbekistan on 7 May to formally sign the agreement.

Interior Ministry spokesman Markus Haindl said the deal would provide an important transit route for people facing deportation to their countries of origin, “especially Afghanistan.”

Austria has already deported several Afghan nationals since last year, signalling a policy shift following the Islamic Emirate takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.

Vienna has also resumed returns of Syrian nationals after the fall of longtime Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad in 2024.

The European Union is currently developing broader plans to increase deportations of migrants without legal status in the bloc, including possible returns to Afghanistan, despite warnings from rights groups and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

A former official of the United Nations has warned that Afghanistan is facing one of the most complex and severe humanitarian and protection crises in the world.

Indrika Ratwatte, former deputy special representative of the UN Secretary-General in Afghanistan, said in a recent article that restrictions on women and girls—particularly in education and employment—combined with widespread poverty and economic hardship, have made life increasingly difficult for millions.

He noted that these restrictions have significantly limited access to essential services and reduced the ability of half the population to cope with ongoing challenges, while also complicating humanitarian aid delivery efforts.

Ratwatte added that nearly five million Afghans have returned from neighboring countries over the past two years, placing immense pressure on already strained basic services. Many of the returnees, he said, arrived with limited resources and are in urgent need of assistance.

He also highlighted the impact of recurring natural disasters, including droughts, floods and earthquakes, which have worsened living conditions and destroyed homes and livelihoods.

While humanitarian organizations continue to provide assistance to millions, Ratwatte stressed that needs remain far greater than available funding.

He called on the international community to sustain its support to help Afghanistan navigate the ongoing crisis.

Meanwhile, officials of the Islamic Emirate say they are pursuing long-term development and infrastructure programs aimed at improving economic conditions and reducing the country’s challenges over time.

Five people were killed early Tuesday morning after a hillside collapse in the Shahri Buzurg district of Badakhshan, local sources confirmed.

The incident took place in the Pastaw area of Awez village, where the victims were engaged in small-scale gold extraction inside underground tunnels.

Mir Ahmad, Commander of the 4th Border Battalion, Shahr-e-Bozorg District, Badakhshan said the miners were residents of Yaftal district and were working in informal mining activities when the collapse occurred.

Preliminary findings suggest that unstable soil conditions combined with a lack of safety equipment were the main causes of the deadly incident.