The Obama administration is a much stronger supporter of the United Nations than the Bush administration was. But even for those who strongly believe in multilateralism -- and who want to see the UN play a larger role in international relations, humanitarian assistance and nation-building -- it can be difficult to understand the mandate and work of individual agencies and the cumbersome bureaucracy that sometimes prevents swift action.

Since June of last year, Refugees International has conducted three missions to Afghanistan. Despite significant investment by the international community over the last eight years, Afghanistan remains extremely fragile. Conflict continues to tear communities apart, and the humanitarian situation is dire for many Afghans. Access to people in need can be challenging given the security constraints, and the work of aid groups and UN agencies is becoming increasingly difficult in this complex, highly tense and politicized environment. But, despite all of these obstacles, there are steps that can be taken to alleviate the suffering of some of the most vulnerable in Afghanistan.

Since 2001, more than five million Afghans have returned home from Pakistan and Iran in the hopes of rebuilding their lives. Many of them were in exile for decades, and came back to destitute communities that have struggled to reintegrate them. When possible, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has tried to provide them with some assistance, and has created some small projects to help them make a living.

Refugees International has identified Afghan returnees as one of the most vulnerable groups in Afghanistan, and in the past year, has urged the UN Development Program (UNDP) at all levels to establish and lead early recovery programs to facilitate their reintegration in Afghan society, and help their host communities deal with the implications of large returns. Other UN agencies and aid groups have also been pressing UNDP to act. Despite acknowledgment from UNDP leadership both in Afghanistan and in New York that early recovery should be a priority in their work in Afghanistan, nothing concrete has happened yet.

In the early years of its presence in post-Taliban Afghanistan, the UN was asked to adopt a “light footprint” approach and minimize its visibility in the country to give the Afghan government the leeway it needed to establish itself. Donors now understand that the UN has a central role to play, and have extended its mandate in recent Security Council resolutions. But this vote of confidence for the UN will be regularly revisited, and individual agencies must ensure that they step up to the task and don’t let bureaucracy, ineffective leadership or turf battles get in the way of fulfilling their mandate.

Next time I visit Afghanistan, I hope UNDP will have established an early recovery coordination group, and will lead the efforts to help returnees in the country. Otherwise, it will not only be a lost opportunity for the agency and the five million Afghans who need its support. It will also be ammunition for those who argue against a larger role for the UN in Afghanistan and worldwide.