The Unfinished Story of the Afghan Refugees: The Long Walk to Voluntary Repatriation.

Abstract

This paper analyzes the migratory movement of Afghan refugees and its historical evolution, the social context refugees moved into in the host countries, and the characteristics and interests that have impacted on policies for dealing with the refugees in Pakistan and Iran. The repatriation program made progress during the first five years of the post-Taliban transition, but has stalled ever since. The new strategy adopted at the 2012 Geneva Conference intends to reactivate the project, but faces numerous obstacles. Finally, the article analyzes how political variables in Afghanistan after 2014 may affect the process.