Qatar has called for stronger international solidarity, increased humanitarian and development assistance, and continued constructive dialogue on Afghanistan amid the return of large numbers of Afghans from neighboring countries.

The call was made by Qatar’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office in Geneva during a high-level dialogue on Afghan refugees and returnees on October 14, held on the sidelines of the 77th session of the Executive Committee of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR).

During the meeting, Qatar’s mission highlighted the humanitarian, economic and development challenges facing Afghanistan and stressed the need for greater international coordination to address the needs of returning Afghans.

Qatar also reaffirmed its commitment to the Afghan Refugee Solutions Strategy and its Support Platform, noting that it chairs the platform’s first Core Group. The mission emphasized the importance of increasing international support for countries and communities that have hosted Afghan refugees for decades.

It further stressed that Afghan returnees need access to essential services, shelter, education and livelihood opportunities to support their sustainable reintegration.

The Qatari mission said the country continues to support various sectors in Afghanistan through its humanitarian and development institutions, particularly education, healthcare and livelihoods.

Qatar also highlighted its efforts to facilitate international dialogue on Afghanistan, including by hosting meetings of special envoys and working groups under UN auspices, aimed at improving coordination, supporting stability and facilitating Afghanistan’s reintegration into the international community.

The mission called for fairer burden-sharing, better coordination of humanitarian and development assistance, and stronger regional and international cooperation to find lasting solutions for Afghan refugees and internally displaced people.

It reaffirmed Qatar’s readiness to continue working with UNHCR and other partners to help ensure that Afghans can live with dignity, peace and stability.

Nearly 60,000 Afghan students are enrolled at Iranian universities and scientific institutions, an Iranian official said, calling for increased international assistance to countries hosting refugees.

Nader Yar-Ahmadi, head of Iran’s Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs, gave the figures during the 77th annual session of the UN refugee agency’s Executive Committee in Geneva.

He said 59,658 Afghan students were studying at Iranian institutions, while many others had graduated. Yar-Ahmadi added that Iran continued providing education and healthcare to refugees despite international sanctions and economic pressures.

Iran Calls for More Funding

Yar-Ahmadi said international support for refugee-hosting countries remained inadequate and urged the global community to share responsibility more fairly.

He said annual funding requirements for UNHCR operations in Iran had been estimated at around $140 million in recent years, but less than 10% of the required amount was funded in 2025.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih thanked Iran for hosting refugees over several decades.

Iran has hosted millions of Afghan refugees and migrants, with access to education, healthcare and other essential services remaining key concerns for Afghan communities.

The remarks renew calls for greater international burden-sharing as countries hosting displaced populations face mounting economic and social pressures.

Uzbekistan is strengthening its position in Afghanistan’s wheat flour market, intensifying competition for traditional suppliers Kazakhstan and Russia, according to a representative of Kazakhstan’s grain processing industry.

Yevgeny Gan, chairman of the board of founders of Kazakhstan’s Union of Grain Processors, said Uzbekistan exported approximately 1.6 million tonnes of flour worth $441.7 million in 2025. Afghanistan accounted for 99.9% of these shipments, highlighting the country’s importance as a destination for Uzbek flour.

Kazakhstan has been among the biggest losers from the shift. Gan said Kazakh flour exports to Afghanistan fell by around 200,000 tonnes in 2025 compared with the previous year, as Uzbek producers strengthened their competitive position.

Lower transportation costs and the absence of transit tariffs along relevant trade routes have helped Uzbek flour producers offer more competitive prices in the Afghan market, Gan said.

The changing trade pattern has created an unusual dynamic in the regional grain industry. Uzbekistan relies heavily on wheat supplied by Kazakhstan, processes the grain in its own mills and then exports the finished flour to Afghanistan.

This means Kazakhstan continues to supply a key raw material to its neighbour while its own flour processors face growing competition from Uzbek producers in one of their important export markets.

Russian flour exporters are also facing increasing challenges in maintaining their position in Afghanistan as competition across regional markets intensifies.

According to the report, Russian suppliers are looking towards alternative destinations, including China, to offset mounting competitive pressure.

The developments highlight how transport costs, domestic processing capacity and access to efficient trade routes are reshaping agricultural trade across Central Asia. Countries able to process grain and deliver flour at competitive prices are gaining an advantage in regional markets.

For Afghanistan, the figures underline the country’s strong reliance on regional suppliers for wheat flour and the growing role of Uzbekistan in meeting that demand.

However, the reported export figures do not establish whether the shift in suppliers has affected flour prices in Afghanistan or reduced costs for consumers.