RASC News Agency: The United Nations has sounded a grave warning over the precipitous decline in international funding for Afghanistan, intensifying concerns about the country’s deepening humanitarian crisis. Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, stated in a press briefing on Monday that the UN and its humanitarian partners are facing a severe shortfall in resources, jeopardizing the continuity of life-saving aid operations. He noted that approximately 23 million people across Afghanistan continue to rely on international assistance for their survival.
Dujarric underscored the significance of a recent visit to Afghanistan by Tom Fletcher, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs. During high-level engagements with Taliban officials, Fletcher reaffirmed that the rights and welfare of Afghanistani women remain a top priority for the United Nations. He stressed that sustainable development is unachievable without the education of girls and the full, equitable participation of women in public and civic life. Throughout his visit to Kabul, Fletcher held direct talks with senior members of the Taliban regime, including Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Prime Minister; Din Mohammad Hanif, Minister of Economy; and Amir Khan Muttaqi, Minister of Foreign Affairs. The discussions addressed a broad range of critical issues, including the impact of climate change on Afghanistan’s humanitarian emergency, the intensifying drug trade, and the country’s fragile security landscape.
Notably, the Taliban’s official statement following these meetings omitted any reference to Fletcher’s appeal regarding girls’ education a silence that reflects the enduring gap between international norms and the Taliban’s internal policies. According to Dujarric, Fletcher also raised urgent concerns about the consequences of ongoing budget reductions on humanitarian operations. He urged Taliban authorities to dismantle bureaucratic barriers obstructing aid delivery, emphasized the vital contributions of women in humanitarian efforts, and discussed the complex dynamics surrounding the repatriation of Afghanistani refugees from Pakistan.
The UN’s warning comes amid a broader contraction of global financial support for Afghanistan. Simultaneously, the United States has suspended its funding for the World Food Programme’s operations in the country, citing credible reports of Taliban misappropriation of humanitarian supplies. In a parallel move, the Trump administration has launched a 90-day review of all U.S. humanitarian aid directed toward Afghanistan. The objective of the review is to prevent Taliban access to American assistance and to ensure alignment with the administration’s “America First” foreign policy framework. The findings of this review have yet to be released.
