The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) says economic pressures, declining global aid, worsening drought and the return of millions of migrants over the past year have further deteriorated living conditions in Afghanistan, increasing the urgent need for sustainable solutions.
In a new report, UNDP said poverty in Afghanistan continued to deepen, with nearly three out of every four Afghans — about 28 million people — unable to meet even their most basic needs in 2025.
The report said limited economic growth failed to keep pace with rapid population growth, declining international assistance, worsening climate shocks and “continued restrictions on women’s rights.”
It added that the return of 2.9 million Afghans in 2025 alone had placed additional strain on already overstretched services and livelihoods.
Although the proportion of Afghans facing livelihood insecurity remained unchanged, the report noted that the growing number of returnees increased the total number of affected people by more than 1.4 million as more people returned to the country during 2025.
According to the report, more than 80 percent of households were in debt.
Kanni Wignaraja, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, said: “Taking stock of Afghanistan’s socioeconomic reality, this year’s report revealed a country under growing strain, with the high number of returnees and further economic and climate setbacks in 2025 intensifying challenges one after another.”
She added: “It highlighted why progress in basic human development remained critical for Afghanistan’s stability and beyond its borders, particularly for the most vulnerable communities living in highly fragile environmental areas.”
The report stated: “The scale of returns was unprecedented, reshaping needs and increasing risks. Nearly five million Afghans returned between 2023 and 2025 and recent returnees faced severe vulnerability — 92 percent of them were experiencing livelihood insecurity, compared to 74 percent nationwide.”
According to the report, in provinces hosting large numbers of returnees, only three percent of people had formal employment, while 78 percent depended on daily wage labour.
The report noted Afghanistan’s economy recorded modest growth for the second consecutive year, but real GDP growth slowed from 2.3 percent in 2024 to 1.9 percent in 2025.
However, population growth, which reached 6.5 percent, outpaced economic expansion, resulting in a 2.1 percent decline in real GDP per capita, with income levels remaining far below those recorded in 2020.
It said the continued decline in per capita income placed Afghanistan among the world’s poorest countries by this measure.
UNDP said Afghanistan’s trade deficit reached a record $11.3 billion in 2025, equivalent to around 60 percent of nominal GDP.
The report attributed the situation to rising imports and stagnant exports. It also noted that the agriculture sector suffered from worsening climate shocks in 2025, with drought conditions nearly doubling and affecting 64 percent of the country.
The report added access to safe drinking water declined nationwide from 59 percent in 2024 to 44 percent in 2025.
It said “restrictions on the rights of women and girls” continued to reduce women’s participation in the workforce and weaken the country’s economic capacity.
According to the report, girls’ school attendance remained at 42 percent, compared to 73 percent for boys.
UNDP said total international aid to Afghanistan declined by 16.5 percent in 2025 despite growing humanitarian needs.
More than 440 clinics were forced to close or reduce services due to funding cuts, increasing the proportion of people without access to healthcare from 16 percent in 2024 to 23 percent in 2025.
Stephen Rodriques, UNDP Resident Representative in Afghanistan, said communities across the country needed more than short-term humanitarian assistance.
“They need a pathway to progress,” he said, adding that investment in jobs, public services and local markets would strengthen household economies and help people rebuild their lives and regain control over their future.
Officials of Taliban have not yet commented on the report.
kk/sa
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