Afghan Diaspora in Action: A 2-day DEMAC Conference
Strengthening Transnational Dialogue and Mobilizing Diaspora Support in a Rapidly Changing Landscape
DEMAC is hosting a closed-door 2-day Afghan Diaspora Conference on 20th and 21st October 2025 in Geneva.
The conference will be a timely opportunity to unpack, spotlight and facilitate discussions on the constructive role of the diaspora in mobilizing support for Afghanistan’s relief and development efforts, while reflecting on successful collaborations, new alliances, partnerships, mechanisms and modalities for engagement in times of shrinking institutional aid.
Why is this conference relevant?
The global humanitarian landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. Shrinking institutional funding, shifting geopolitical dynamics, and protracted crises are reshaping how aid is mobilized and delivered. Afghanistan is in particular enduring a prolonged humanitarian crisis, deeply intertwined with the economic shock and the abrupt stop of bilateral development assistance triggered by the takeover in August 2021.
The recent US funding halt is anticipated to significantly affect Afghanistan, as it accounted for 43.9% of reported humanitarian funding in 2024 and provided approximately 60% of the funds committed by February 3 for the country's 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP). Additionally, dire economic conditions, climate-related and natural disasters, limited healthcare access, high levels of protracted internal displacement and forced returns from neighboring countries, continue to impact communities.
In this rapidly evolving landscape, where innovative and locally led responses are much needed, diaspora organizations can serve as key actors to provide complementary support in places where formal systems struggle to reach. Anchored in their cultural knowledge, community trust, and transnational networks—diaspora actors offer support to flexible, fast, and locally informed response, often reaching communities that remain inaccessible to traditional actors.
What will the participants experience over the two days:
The Afghan Diaspora Conference 2025 will serve as a convening platform to:
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Strengthen trust and collaboration among Afghan diaspora groups to enhance coordination, build alliances, and foster networks for more effective humanitarian and long-term resilience responses.
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Deepen diaspora engagement in support of Afghanistan, identifying entry points for collaboration with local actors and other stakeholders and showcasing the evolving role of the diaspora in emergency response, recovery, and long-term resilience. This includes highlighting innovative diaspora-led funding models, crowdfunding initiatives, and partnerships that help scale and sustain locally led solutions amid shrinking aid.
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Put diaspora perspectives and voices at the forefront, celebrating Afghan culture and identity through artistic expressions that reflect resilience, hope, and solidarity.
Who can participate?
The conference will target Afghan diaspora actors, and will serve to convene various practitioners, experts and relevant stakeholders to engage in informed discussions.
All sessions are held in English with simultaneous interpretation available in Dari.
