UNAMA Warns Afghanistan’s Humanitarian Crisis Deepens Amid Regional Tensions and Taliban Restrictions
The acting head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has warned that the humanitarian crisis in the country has intensified due to rising regional tensions, the closed border with Pakistan, and ongoing Taliban restrictions. Georgette Gagnon said on Monday, March 8, during a UN Security Council meeting that higher commodity prices, unstable trade routes, and structural pressures have significantly weakened the economic capacity of Afghan families.
According to her, the ideological decisions of the Taliban administration and the reduction of international aid have undermined Afghanistan’s path to economic self-sufficiency, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. Gagnon emphasized that this situation has also increased both internal and external migration, forcing many residents to leave their main living areas.
The acting head of UNAMA stressed that the six-month ban on female UN staff working has seriously obstructed the delivery of humanitarian aid, especially to women and girls. She called for the immediate lifting of this restriction and added that the continued denial of education to girls and women will weaken Afghanistan’s human capital in the long term, with consequences affecting the entire society.
Gagnon also recalled that restrictions imposed on women have now entered their fifth year and described this situation as “unacceptable.” She stated that the Taliban administration has taken a selective approach in fulfilling its international commitments, raising widespread concerns globally.
On security issues, she referred to Taliban actions against the ISIS-Khorasan branch but noted that despite some steps, concerns remain about the presence of other armed groups in Afghanistan. The Taliban have previously denied the presence of such groups.
The United States representative at the meeting called the Taliban administration’s disregard for the basic needs of the Afghan people unacceptable and stressed that the continuation of international aid must be accompanied by careful monitoring and clear evaluation. The Afghan representative also stated that after five years, the current situation is neither acceptable nor sustainable.
The report presented to the Security Council indicates that millions of Afghans, especially women and girls, continue to urgently require humanitarian assistance; however, Taliban-imposed restrictions have seriously hampered access to such aid.
