- The World Food Program (WFP) warns of a dramatic deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.
- Due to a lack of funds, the UN organization can no longer reach ten million people with its aid program, according to a statement.
- According to UN estimates, two thirds of the country’s people are dependent on humanitarian aid.
“With the few resources we have left, we are not able to help all of the people who are on the brink of absolute poverty,” said WFP Country Director Hsiao-Wei Lee, according to the statement.
As early as April, the organization felt compelled to exclude up to eight million people from their food aid, and now another two million people are being added due to cuts in funding.
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The people in Afghanistan are supported by various aid organizations. But the aid is not enough for all people in need.
Keystone/ STRINGER
A strong increase in malnourished children is also to be feared. “There is only a small window of opportunity to avert a catastrophe in Afghanistan, but we are running out of time,” Lee said.
Too little emergency aid for Afghanistan’s population
Women and children in particular would suffer the effects of 40 years of conflict, a paralyzed economy and a worsening climate crisis. Another three million people in the country, which is estimated to have a population of 37 million, would receive monthly emergency aid from WFP in the future.
Since the militant Islamist Taliban took power again in August 2021, Afghanistan has been increasingly isolated from the rest of the world. Internationally, the Taliban are criticized primarily for their curtailment of women’s rights.
According to the UN, around two-thirds of the country’s people are dependent on humanitarian aid for their survival due to the prevailing economic crisis. On its website, the UN World Food Program calls on people to donate.