Canada convenes UN Afghanistan meeting amid ongoing humanitarian crisis

Canada has convened a meeting of the Group of Friends of Afghanistan at the United Nations, bringing together international partners to assess the country’s worsening political, humanitarian, security, and human rights situation ahead of a key UN Security Council review of the mission in Kabul.

Briefings from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) highlighted the scale of Afghanistan’s ongoing crises, including severe humanitarian need, rising insecurity, and deepening restrictions on human rights.

UN officials warned that nearly 21.9 million people require humanitarian assistance in 2026, with millions facing acute food insecurity and a worsening child malnutrition crisis.

Funding shortfalls and restricted humanitarian access continue to limit relief operations, while large-scale returns from Iran and Pakistan are adding further pressure on already overstretched systems.

Security concerns remain acute, with UNAMA reporting continued cross-border tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, including intermittent clashes, airstrikes, and drone activity. These incidents have disrupted trade routes, heightened regional instability, and contributed to civilian casualties.

Human rights conditions, particularly for women and girls, were also raised as a central concern, with UN agencies warning that ongoing restrictions are deepening exclusion from education, work, and public life, and entrenching systemic discrimination.

The meeting comes as the UN Security Council prepares to renew UNAMA’s mandate before its expiry on 17 June, alongside its quarterly briefing on Afghanistan. Diplomats are expected to review the mission’s role amid calls from some members for a strategic reassessment of its priorities.

While Council members broadly agree on the need for an inclusive government and prevention of terrorism, divisions remain over international engagement, sanctions, and the linking of aid to human rights conditions.

Canada has continued to position the Group of Friends as a platform to sustain international attention on Afghanistan and coordinate responses to the country’s prolonged crisis.