Afghanistan Red Crescent chief criticises limited global aid and its impact
Shahabuddin Delawar, head of the Afghanistan Red Crescent Society under Taliban administration, has criticised the limited support from the international community to the humanitarian organisation, saying the aid is so small that it only prevents people from dying suddenly.
At a meeting marking Aid Collection Week, he said the main reason for the restrictions on support was the non-recognition of the Taliban administration. He added that despite human rights claims from some countries, Taliban leaders remain on blacklists and, as a result, aid has become very limited. Delawar said this situation has left Afghans unable to live fully or to die, and that the Red Crescent has been forced to shoulder the burden of aid delivery alone.
Abdul Salam Hanafi, administrative deputy of the Taliban prime minister, also stressed the need to support the organisation and said about 1,000 Afghan citizens are being expelled daily from various countries. He noted that more than eight million migrants have returned to Afghanistan in recent years and need support.
At the same meeting, Johannes Bruwer, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Afghanistan, and the Afghanistan Red Crescent Society signed a cooperation agreement for 2027 to 2029.
These remarks come as numerous reports from international organisations indicate that more than half of Afghanistan’s population is in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. In addition, the Taliban administration’s restrictive policies and interference in the work of aid agencies have forced many relief organisations to suspend their activities in Afghanistan, worsening the country’s humanitarian crisis.
