The key facts
- The UAE aid agency and UNHCR signed a $3 million agreement for housing for 2,950 returnees in Afghanistan
- Homes will be built in the provinces of Kabul, Herat and Kunduz, with priority given to women and children
- The agreement was announced at the Aidex 2026 conference in Geneva on 21–22 October
$3 million agreement with UNHCR
The UAE aid agency has signed a $3 million cooperation agreement with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The funds will go toward building climate-resilient homes for 2,950 people returning to Afghanistan, with particular attention to women and children. Construction will cover the provinces of Kabul, Herat and Kunduz. The deal was reported by The National.
Announcement at the Geneva conference
The agreement was announced at Aidex 2026 — a conference on humanitarian aid and disaster relief held in Geneva on 21 and 22 October. According to The National, the deal is part of a broader UAE strategy to support early recovery, provide durable solutions for displaced people and strengthen the stability of communities affected by humanitarian crises.
Statements and meetings on the sidelines
The agency's chairman, Dr Tarek Al Ameri, in a keynote address reaffirmed the country's commitment to its global humanitarian and development role, emphasizing the importance of international partnerships, innovative financing models and investment in sustainable solutions. The agency also held bilateral meetings with the International Committee of the Red Cross, the World Health Organization and the UN offices for humanitarian affairs and disaster risk reduction; the discussions covered expanding cooperation, strengthening crisis response and using artificial intelligence for disaster forecasting and mitigation.
Other agency initiatives
At the conference, the agency together with UNHCR held a round table titled 'Housing solutions after displacement: from temporary shelter to recovery and integration', devoted to the transition from emergency shelter to long-term housing and the role of private-sector partnerships in supporting refugees and host communities. Also highlighted were the Gallant Knight 3 operation in Gaza and the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women, which focuses on the economic and social empowerment of displaced women. Separately, The National reported that on 25 October two UAE convoys delivered 260 tonnes of aid to Gaza.
Why it matters
The agreement concerns thousands of Afghan returnees who are promised permanent housing in three provinces instead of temporary shelter, which directly affects their living conditions. For donors and humanitarian organizations, the practical signal is the agency's stated interest in applying AI to disaster forecasting and in private-sector partnerships. The construction timeline and the procedure for allocating homes among the 2,950 beneficiaries have not yet been disclosed.
