Over 21 million Afghans need humanitarian aid in 2026: OCHA

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said nearly half of Afghanistan’s population—about 21.9 million people—will require humanitarian assistance in 2026, warning that the country remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.

In its 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP), released Tuesday, OCHA said the projected figure represents around 45 percent of the population. Humanitarian agencies aim to assist 17.5 million people next year, with funding requirements estimated at $1.71 billion.

In a statement posted on X, OCHA Afghanistan said that while overall humanitarian needs have slightly declined compared with previous years, conditions remain severe. The agency cited prolonged conflict, economic fragility, limited access to basic services, and the erosion of rights as major factors undermining people’s ability to cope.

OCHA said the crisis is being further compounded by worsening food insecurity, large-scale cross-border returns, climate-driven droughts, recurring natural disasters, and the systematic exclusion of women and girls from public life.

The agency called on the international community to sustain and strengthen humanitarian support to prevent further deterioration and protect vulnerable communities across the country.

The warning comes as the United States announced a $2 billion pledge for United Nations humanitarian programs on Tuesday, saying future funding would be conditional and limited to 17 countries, including Haiti, Syria, and Sudan. Afghanistan and Yemen were excluded.

U.S. officials said Washington has evidence that UN funds in Afghanistan were diverted to the Islamic Emirate and stressed that U.S. taxpayer money would not be allowed to reach designated terrorist groups.

Humanitarian organizations have warned that the funding restrictions could deepen a global aid shortfall, already forcing the closure of maternal and child health clinics in Afghanistan and cuts to food assistance for displaced populations elsewhere. The United Nations has warned that global child mortality rates could rise after years of decline.