The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) says the return of millions of Afghans in 2025 has further complicated Afghanistan’s challenges as the country continues to grapple with instability and recurring natural disasters.

In a report released on Monday, December 29, UNDP said many returnees have arrived without assets, shelter, or employment opportunities, leaving them highly vulnerable.

The agency noted that returnees across Afghanistan are facing serious difficulties in securing livelihoods and meeting the basic needs of their families, adding pressure to already fragile communities and public services.

To support returnees, the United Nations said it is implementing a joint project titled “Durable Solutions” in eastern Afghanistan with support from the Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan (STFA). According to UNDP, the multi-agency initiative involves nine UN agencies and aims to strengthen access to essential services, promote sustainable income-generating opportunities, and implement programs focused on women’s empowerment.

The project comes amid growing concerns over funding shortfalls. The United Nations has previously warned that due to reduced financial support, widespread poverty, and ongoing economic challenges, a large portion of Afghanistan’s population is expected to require humanitarian assistance in 2026.

Afghanistan has completed the development of a roadmap for the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan (TAP) power transmission line and plans to submit it to Turkmenistan in the near future, officials said.

Abdul Bari Omar, chief executive officer of Afghanistan’s national power utility (Breshna), made the announcement following talks with a Turkmen delegation, according to Trend.

During the meeting, both sides reviewed progress on the TAP project and discussed the next stages required for its implementation. Omar also briefed the Turkmen delegation on Afghanistan’s plans to generate electricity using hydrocarbons supplied through the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) gas pipeline, stressing the need to finalize negotiations on gas tariff arrangements.

Turkmen officials reaffirmed their commitment to close cooperation, saying both the TAP power line and the TAPI gas pipeline are key projects for strengthening bilateral energy cooperation and supporting the economic interests of both countries.

Earlier, on October 20, 2025, Turkmenistan approved the next phase of work on the core section of the TAPI gas pipeline toward Afghanistan’s Herat province along the Serhetabat–Herat route.

A new United Nations report highlights the economic challenges faced by farmers in northern Afghanistan following bans on opium cultivation. Surveys in Badakhshan, Balkh, and Kunduz provinces show that 85 percent of households have been unable to compensate for lost income, leaving communities in urgent need of economic support.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) noted that in Badakhshan and Balkh provinces, nearly 95 percent of former opium farmers reported halting cultivation due to legal restrictions. Most have turned to wheat and other grains as alternative crops.

The report also highlighted that climate change is also threatening agriculture livelihoods in Afghanistan. Surface water remains source of irrigation for 65 percent of poppy cultivating villages and for 88 percent of other villages.

The UN report emphasizes the urgent need for targeted livelihood programs, including access to water, credit, and market opportunities for alternative crops.