Kabul, 18^th April 2019. The Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan adopts its first Master Plan for IDPs and returnees following the approval of pertinent legislation on the identification and allocation of state land early in 2018. The adoption of this master plan represents an important milestone towards the reintegration of Afghan returning refugees and IDPs improving access to land and adequate housing. So far, 775,000 Afghans returned from Iran and 60,000 from Pakistan along with thousands of internally displaced by the conflict and the severe drought in the country in 2018.

Located in the province of Herat, the master plan of Saadat Township (also known as Taghi Naghi) aims at providing durable solutions to more than 10,000 families (10,150 plots of land). The new plan is connected to major infrastructure projects in the region planned to enhance the local economy, including the new railway and highway projects. It also envisages industrial and mixed-used and commercial spaces that will boost the economy of the area. Promoting job creation and economies of location are important tools for social and economic integration. The New Urban Agenda, the UN road map for achieving sustainable urbanization, calls for planned and organized urbanization as transformative tools for prosperity and development.

In a ceremony co-chaired by the Minister of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR), H.E. Sayed Hussain Alemi Balkhi; and the Minister of Urban Development and Land (MUDL), Mr. Jawad Peikar, signed off the master plan. Minister Peikar reiterated that “the implementation of the newly adopted regulation on the identification and allocation of state land remained a key priority for the government”. From his side, Minister Balkhi “praised the important achievement of this national program towards solving one of the major problems faced by Afghan returnees and internally displaced and called for the expedition of the selection of beneficiaries”.

UN-Habitat is the main technical adviser of the government in the implementation of this important project. Funded by the Government of Denmark and the European Union, the Sustainable Human Settlements in Urban Areas to support the Reintegration of Afghanistan programme (also known as SHURA), is an area-based intervention aiming at improving livelihoods of thousands of vulnerable populations affected by the longstanding conflict through access to land and housing.

In parallel to this event, relevant senior staff of the Ministry of Urban Development and Land with other stakeholders conducted a first working session on the integrative planning process for a new site allocated in Kabul province (Eltefat) for IDPs and returning refugees.