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South-West Asia

2015 year-end information on the South-West Asia subregion is presented below. A summary of this can also be downloaded in PDF format.​ This subregion covers the following countries:
 

| Afghanistan | Islamic Republic of Iran | Pakistan | 

Subregion: South-West Asia

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Budgets and Expenditure in Subregion South-West Asia

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2015 {"categories":[2012,2013,2014,2015],"budget":[329.481794789,352.31783695,382.93488602,360.170297977],"expenditure":[193.78561689,162.67279337,158.90284611,156.55047551]} {"categories":[2012,2013,2014,2015],"p1":[150.610280829,157.79026509,184.60069642,198.064954557],"p2":[0.87699208,1.48910797,0.21242026,0.30424051],"p3":[106.40329508,125.47048328,120.93371852,106.53871565],"p4":[71.5912268,67.56798061,77.18805082,55.26238726]} {"categories":[2012,2013,2014,2015],"p1":[94.29274137,87.25259129,88.79105311,92.11479018],"p2":[0.87261709,0.0786895,0.18566753,0.2060976],"p3":[53.91192069,44.24040328,34.24658594,36.57175741],"p4":[44.70833774,31.1011093,35.67953953,27.65783032]}
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View footnotes

People of Concern - 2015

[["Refugees",2777668],["Refugee-like situation",20485],["Asylum-seekers",6566],["IDPs",2320414],["Returned IDPs",800291],["Returned refugees",61394],["Others of concern",150317]]
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Response in 2015

Afghan refugees remain the largest protracted refugee population of concern to UNHCR, with some 2.6 million registered Afghan refugees hosted in over 70 countries. The vast majority – approximately 95 per cent of Afghan refugees – have been generously hosted by two countries, the Islamic Republics of Iran and Pakistan, for over three decades.
 
Positive developments in Afghanistan in early 2015 generated hope for increased stability and opportunities to find solutions for displaced people. The Islamic Republics of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan renewed their commitment to work towards durable solutions – and specifically to facilitate voluntary repatriation – through numerous tripartite and quadripartite meetings held between the three Governments, together with UNHCR. The three Governments reiterated their support for the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR) as the main regional multi-year framework during the high-level segment of the Executive Committee on the Afghan refugee situation in October 2015. The high-level segment also provided an important platform to garner international support for the situation of protracted displacement in Afghanistan.

UNHCR facilitated the return of close to 59,000 Afghan refugees from neighboring countries, and continued to support host countries and communities.

The rapidly deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan in the second half of 2015 led to large-scale internal displacement. Increasing insecurity and drastic economic contractions led many Afghans to seek better lives elsewhere, with some 190,000 Afghans seeking asylum in Europe and constituting the second largest group of asylum-seekers after Syrians in 2015. Despite these challenges, UNHCR continued to work with Afghanistan’s National Unity Government, humanitarian and development agencies, civil society organizations and other partners to facilitate the reintegration and return of refugees and to assist internally displaced people (IDPs). UNHCR also encouraged the international community to renew their to support the Islamic Republics of Iran and Pakistan as they continue to generously host and provide protection for Afghan refugees until solutions are identified.

UNHCR operations in the subregion have been greatly affected by funding shortfalls. In Pakistan, for instance not all urban areas with large concentration of refugees were able to be reached; in Iran, only 3 schools were built out of the 5 planned and 700 students (refugees and children from host communities) were not able to attend school. The Office will continue to invest considerable efforts to mobilize additional support from the international community in support of Afghan refugees.

Operations

Operations in the Islamic Republics of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan are presented in separate country pages. 

Operational Environment and Strategy

Since 2002 more than 5.8 million Afghan refugees have voluntarily returned home. About 4.7 million of them have been assisted by UNHCR through the largest voluntary return programme in its history. These returnees currently make up more than 20 per cent of Afghanistan’s total population. Pakistan remains the world’s main refugee-hosting country. It hosts some 1.5 million registered Afghan refugees. Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic of Iran hosts the world’s largest urban refugee population, including 950,000 registered Afghan refugees. Afghanistan’s level of development is related to its limited capacity to absorb returnees. The difficult socio-economic situation has contributed to declining voluntary returns and affected the ability of those who have already returned to effectively reintegrate Significant efforts from all stakeholders are required to support the new Government in creating an environment conducive for return and sustainable reintegration.

In the meantime, the Islamic Republics of Iran and Pakistan continue to honour their commitments to preserve asylum space and seek sustainable solutions, working towards the outcome of the multi-year Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR). Endorsed by the international community in 2012, the SSAR provides a comprehensive and integrated regional framework for joint interventions, aimed at facilitating voluntary return and sustainable reintegration in Afghanistan, while providing assistance to host countries and communities.

Military operations in Pakistan’s North Waziristan region in mid-June 2014 resulted in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, both within tribal areas and across the border with Afghanistan. Within Pakistan, 83,000 families from North Waziristan were newly displaced, adding to the over 210,000 families displaced from KP Province. More than 13,000 families have crossed into Afghanistan where they have received assistance. 

Response and Implementation

UNHCR will continue to support the three Governments in the subregion as they seek to fulfil the outcomes of the SSAR, including through implementation of activities contained in the country portfolios of projects.

In Afghanistan, UNHCR will continue to support the Government in creating conditions conducive for voluntary return and sustainable reintegration. In support of this overarching objective, the Office will advocate including returnees and refugees outside the country in national development plans and processes, and work closely with other stakeholders to embed the SSAR within national priority programmes, in particular the national solidarity programme.

In the Islamic Republic of Iran, the primary focus will be on providing sector-based assistance to Afghan refugees. Programmes supporting the provision of health care and education, as well as livelihoods, will help refugees reintegrate upon return to Afghanistan.

In Pakistan, UNHCR will focus on the Refugee Affected and Hosting Areas (RAHA) programme, which is an integral component of the SSAR’s in-country implementation. RAHA seeks to increase tolerance towards Afghan refugees and promote social cohesion and peaceful coexistence by providing both refugees and their host communities with humanitarian and development assistance. 

2015 Budget and Expenditure in South-West Asia | USD

Operation Pillar 1
Refugee programme		 Pillar 2
Stateless programme		 Pillar 3
Reintegration projects		 Pillar 4
IDP projects		 Total
Afghanistan Budget
Expenditure		66,838,574
42,224,188		0
0		56,925,099
17,783,147		26,880,214
10,347,436		150,643,886
70,354,771
Islamic Republic of Iran Budget
Expenditure		72,823,782
21,931,324		0
0		0
0		0
0		72,823,782
21,931,324
Pakistan Budget
Expenditure		58,402,599
27,959,279		304,241
206,098		49,613,617
18,788,611		28,382,173
17,310,394		136,702,630
64,264,381
Total Budget
Expenditure		198,064,955
92,114,790		304,241
206,098		106,538,716
36,571,757		55,262,387
27,657,830		360,170,298
156,550,476
View footnotes

2015 Voluntary Contributions to South-West Asia | USD

Earmarking / Donor Pillar 1
Refugee programme		 Pillar 3
Reintegration projects		 Pillar 4
IDP projects		 All
pillars		 Total
South-West Asia overall
Finland 0001,625,135 1,625,135
United States of America 00048,000,000 48,000,000
South-West Asia overall subtotal 00049,625,135 49,625,135
Afghanistan
Canada 0001,573,564 1,573,564
Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) 1,700,0480299,9420 1,999,990
Common Humanitarian Fund Afghanistan 700,117000 700,117
Denmark 0004,195,000 4,195,000
European Union 3,419,305949,348840,2180 5,208,872
Germany 4,232,804000 4,232,804
Japan 441,0001,121,304537,696583,722 2,683,722
Norway 0003,022,549 3,022,549
Private donors in the United States of America 25,025000 25,025
Republic of Korea 03,200,0001,800,0000 5,000,000
Switzerland 00520,2910 520,291
United States of America 4,250,000000 4,250,000
Afghanistan subtotal 14,768,3005,270,6523,998,1479,374,835 33,411,935
Islamic Republic of Iran
Australia 2,000,000000 2,000,000
Denmark 0001,900,000 1,900,000
European Union 1,805,558000 1,805,558
France 000200,000 200,000
Germany 2,192,982000 2,192,982
Japan 2,400,00000583,722 2,983,722
Private donors in Qatar 290,533000 290,533
Republic of Korea 2,000,000000 2,000,000
Russian Federation 100,000000 100,000
United States of America 1,400,000000 1,400,000
Islamic Republic of Iran subtotal 12,189,073002,683,722 14,872,795
Pakistan
Canada 0001,966,955 1,966,955
Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) 003,294,0490 3,294,049
Denmark 0003,000,000 3,000,000
European Union 2,894,882000 2,894,882
Germany 03,192,84800 3,192,848
Japan 2,725,00001,701,300583,722 5,010,022
Luxembourg 000625,782 625,782
Norway 0001,018,978 1,018,978
Private donors in Italy 00057 57
Private donors in Norway 00311,8500 311,850
Private donors in Qatar 342,933000 342,933
Private donors in the Republic of Korea 6,584000 6,584
Sweden 000834,824 834,824
Switzerland 208,117000 208,117
UNAIDS 65,000000 65,000
UNDP 0717,75200 717,752
United States of America 0014,100,0000 14,100,000
Pakistan subtotal 6,242,5153,910,60019,407,1998,030,319 37,590,633
Total 33,199,8879,181,25223,405,34669,714,012 135,500,499
Note: Includes indirect support costs that are recovered from contributions to Pillars 3 and 4, supplementary budgets and the “New or additional activities – mandate-related” (NAM) Reserve.