US Pledges $2 Billion for UN Humanitarian Aid, Excludes Afghanistan and Yemen
The United States has announced it will allocate $2 billion to support the United Nations’ humanitarian programs, a funding package that notably excludes Afghanistan and Yemen.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that this new aid framework is designed to share the financial burden of UN humanitarian activities between the US and other developed countries. According to him, this amount represents the first phase of Washington’s support for the annual request made by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Although this figure is lower compared to past US aid contributions, American officials consider it generous and say it maintains the US’s position as the world’s largest humanitarian donor.
Regarding Afghanistan, US officials cite the Taliban administration’s interference in the distribution of humanitarian aid as the main reason for excluding the country. Critics argue this situation is a direct consequence of restrictions and lack of transparency in Taliban-controlled areas, the cost of which is borne by vulnerable residents.
US aid to Yemen has also been halted due to intervention by Houthi forces. This decision comes as Donald Trump, the current US president, has reduced foreign aid and urged the United Nations to scale back its programs.
