RASC News Agency: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has raised alarm over Afghanistan’s worsening economic conditions, emphasizing that without sustained international aid, millions of Afghanistanis will face severe hardships, pushing their lives into even greater peril. OCHA stressed that the continuation of life-saving humanitarian aid in Afghanistan throughout 2025 is contingent upon securing adequate and flexible funding. According to the agency’s latest assessments, 22.9 million people in Afghanistan currently require humanitarian assistance.
The agency further highlighted that the suspension of U.S. aid to Afghanistan has critically disrupted relief efforts, severely restricting the ability of humanitarian organizations to deliver essential services. Afghanistan, now grappling with an acute economic crisis, remains heavily reliant on foreign aid. In response to the crisis, OCHA has issued an urgent appeal for $2.24 billion to support the country’s most vulnerable populations. This funding request comes at a time when the United States the largest donor to Afghanistan halted its aid following Donald Trump’s return to office. The withdrawal of U.S. financial support has already triggered a domino effect, crippling humanitarian operations and exacerbating suffering across the country.
Amid dwindling resources, the World Health Organization (WHO) in Afghanistan has sounded an urgent warning, stating that 80% of WHO-supported healthcare facilities are at risk of closure due to severe budgetary shortfalls. WHO reports that as of March 4, 2024, at least 167 health centers have already shut down due to lack of funding. The organization warned that a complete collapse of humanitarian operations in Afghanistan could lead to catastrophic consequences for millions. Despite these mounting challenges, OCHA reported that between January and December 2024, humanitarian partners successfully delivered at least one form of assistance to 20.4 million Afghanistanis. Among them, approximately 3.4 million received three types of aid, while 14.9 million benefited from food assistance.
As the crisis deepens and funding gaps widen, the future of humanitarian relief in Afghanistan remains increasingly uncertain.
