UN Warns Millions in Afghanistan Face Severe Hunger Amid Aid Cuts
The United Nations has warned that a sharp decline in global humanitarian aid is pushing more than 14 million people in crisis-hit countries—including Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan—toward severe hunger.
According to the UN, a reduction in funding from key donor countries, particularly the United States during the presidency of Donald Trump, has seriously undermined decades of efforts to curb food insecurity.
The World Food Programme (WFP) announced that its budget will be cut by around 40% in 2025, dropping from $10 billion in 2024 to $6.4 billion. This significant reduction in financial resources will severely limit the organization’s ability to provide aid in critical regions, including Afghanistan.
The WFP stated that the continued decline in international support could push 13.7 million people into a state of “emergency hunger,” just one step away from full-scale famine. The situation is particularly alarming in countries like Afghanistan, where people are already grappling with overlapping crises such as drought, insecurity and weak governance.
Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the WFP, warned that the gap between people’s needs and the organization’s available resources is unprecedented in the agency’s history. She stressed that if current trends persist, hard-won progress in the fight against hunger could be lost.
McCain also noted that the impact of the funding cuts extends beyond conflict-affected nations. She cited the Sahel region, where roughly half a million people no longer require food assistance—a significant achievement that could be reversed without sustained international support.
As Afghanistan endures severe economic hardship and a wide-reaching humanitarian crisis under Taliban rule, declining global financial support is expected to deal a heavy blow to the livelihoods of millions. The international community’s silence and inattention to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan carries a high cost for its people.
