Budget shortfall in Afghanistan: WFP warns of humanitarian crisis

KABUL (Khaama Press): The World Food Programme (WFP) has said it needs one billion dollars to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan.

The organization also emphasized that it can provide food assistance to one out of every needy Afghan citizen. On Wednesday, the organization once again warned about the budget shortfall in Afghanistan through a statement on its social media platform X.

The WFP adds that 10 million people in Afghanistan have been deprived of receiving aid this year. Additionally, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in its latest report, has also warned about the reduction and discontinuation of health services for those in need in Afghanistan due to budget shortages.

It is worth noting that the World Food Programme previously stated that it needed one billion dollars to assist 21 million people, and over 20 million people in Afghanistan are at risk of hunger. Many humanitarian organizations have raised alarms about budget shortages and a growing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan due to rising poverty and hunger. Out of the required $3.23 billion for humanitarian aid, only about $1 billion has been provided thus far.

Afghanistan, a highly aid-dependent country, lost Western donor support following the Taliban’s return to power after the US and NATO withdrawal in August 2021.

The Afghan economy quickly crumbled, forcing self-reliant Afghans to seek humanitarian assistance for survival. Taliban’s government, unrecognized and sanctioned, faced international isolation due to widespread human rights violations.