WFP Warns of Deepening Humanitarian Crisis in Afghanistan
The World Food Programme (WFP) has issued a new report warning that millions of Afghans face hunger, malnutrition, and displacement amid shrinking international aid and the forced return of migrants from Iran and Pakistan. The UN agency said Afghanistan’s social service systems are collapsing, with insufficient funding for development and relief programs worsening an already dire situation.
According to WFP, Afghanistan’s food insecurity and poverty crisis has received far too little global attention. The agency estimates that 3.5 million Afghan children will suffer from malnutrition this year, an increase of half a million compared to last year—the largest surge in child malnutrition in the country’s history.
Nearly two million Afghans forcibly expelled from Iran and Pakistan have returned without access to basic support or services, adding severe strain on already limited humanitarian resources.
WFP noted that due to a 40 percent drop in funding compared to last year, it has been forced to cut assistance for some of the most vulnerable, in some cases halting aid entirely. The agency currently has funds to support only one million people through the winter, while up to 15 million face hunger, extreme cold, and displacement.
Without strong international commitment and given the Taliban’s ineffective policies, Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis is spiraling to unprecedented levels, with potentially devastating consequences for millions.
