Two top United Nations officials have called on Western nations to engage with Afghanistan to prevent the country from sliding back into instability that could have far-reaching repercussions. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih and UN Development Program head Alexander De Croo made the appeal during a joint visit to Afghanistan, speaking to The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Engagement Over Isolation
“The lesson of the recent past is that ignoring Afghanistan is not a good thing to do,” Salih said via video link. He emphasized that despite many challenges, “it’s wiser to engage, to support and promote the right type of policies to making sure that Afghanistan remains safe and secure.” Without such engagement, Salih warned, “we may well risk instability, with all the implications of that instability,” including drugs, extremism, criminal activity, and refugee movements.
De Croo echoed the sentiment, noting that if the international community turns its back on Afghanistan, “the consequences will not only be in Afghanistan. The consequences will be much, much broader.” He added, “The message to Western countries is: if you want to have a stable and peaceful society, you are not only achieving that with domestic policy. If you want to live in peace and stability, your neighborhood also needs to be at peace and stability.”
Multiple Crises Overwhelm Afghanistan
After four decades of conflict, Afghanistan is now hit by multiple crises, including natural disasters, climate change, and the largest influx of returning refugees the world has seen in decades. “In Afghanistan, there is never a crisis just on its own. It’s always crisis on top of crisis,” De Croo told the AP. Nearly 6 million people have returned to Afghanistan since 2023, mostly from Pakistan and Iran following crackdowns on migrants. An additional 2 million are expected to return this year, straining local communities already struggling with poverty and malnutrition.
Massive cuts in international aid have compounded the situation, along with a Taliban government that has sidelined half the population by denying women and girls education beyond primary school and banning them from most jobs. The country remains internationally isolated, with no Western nation recognizing the Taliban government since it seized power in August 2021. Russia became the first country to officially recognize it in 2025. However, a recent Taliban delegation visit to Brussels for talks with EU staff on diplomatic services and refugee returns signals a small crack in diplomatic isolation.
Progress in Security and Drug Control
Despite the challenges, Afghanistan has shown improvement in security and combating corruption and drug production. “I wouldn’t close my eyes to the fact that there is progress, and maybe progress that no one would have expected five years ago,” De Croo said. He noted that drug production has dropped by 95 percent in a country once a major producer of opium and heroin. The Afghan government launched a campaign to eradicate poppy cultivation after seizing power, and farmers were given alternative crops, though funding for such programs has been severely curtailed. De Croo warned that without continued support, drug cultivation could return.
Women’s Rights and Aid Cuts
The harsh restrictions on women and girls remain a major point of contention. Salih and De Croo discussed the issue with Afghan officials during their visit. “We hope that constructive engagement will show the way forward in that regard,” Salih said. “It’s important that there is progress, there is tangible reforms that will allow for an inclusive system in this country.”
International aid cuts have had a tangible impact, with 422 medical centers shutting down in a year due to lack of funding, affecting more than 3 million people who lost access to basic medical services, according to De Croo. Earlier this year, the World Food Program reported that funding cuts forced it to turn away three out of four acutely malnourished children seeking help.
Salih stressed the need to remind the world of the stakes: “It is vital to remind the world that the price of inaction far outweighs action. You cannot ignore Afghanistan, and what happens in Afghanistan does not necessarily stay in Afghanistan.”
