The Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF) delivered critical assistance across Afghanistan in 2025, as the country faced ongoing humanitarian pressures including displacement, natural disasters and climate-related shocks, according to its latest annual report.

Operating in a context of limited resources and growing needs, the fund played a key role in ensuring life-saving aid reached vulnerable communities, including women, men and children affected by crises such as earthquakes and cross-border returns.

The AHF said its flexible funding mechanisms allowed for rapid response and anticipatory action, while also supporting longer-term humanitarian programmes aligned with the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan.

During the year, the fund allocated $73.5 million through eight targeted disbursements. The funding was directed toward both emergency situations and protracted humanitarian needs, enabling assistance to reach millions of people across the country.

Particular focus was placed on communities impacted by displacement, climate-related events and natural disasters, as humanitarian agencies sought to address the most urgent needs amid continuing economic and environmental challenges.

The spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Zabihullah Mujahid, has strongly denied claims that members of the administration maintain ties with Al-Qaeda.

Responding to media reports on an ongoing analytical project mapping over 1,200 IEA officials by the Middle East Institute, Mujahid issued an audio statement and described the allegations as inaccurate. He also said they were “firmly rejected.”

He said the Islamic Emirate has no need to maintain relations with transnational groups, adding that such claims misrepresent the current situation in Afghanistan.

Mujahid also argued that reports of this nature are intended to mislead public opinion and generate negative narratives about the Islamic Emirate. 

Officials from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the United Nations have underscored the significance of the “Afghanistan factor” in regional stability during talks held in Moscow.

The meeting brought together CSTO Deputy Secretary General Samat Ordabayev and Kaha Imnadze, Special Representative and head of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia.

Discussions focused on evolving security dynamics across Central Asia, with particular attention to developments linked to Afghanistan.

According to the CSTO, both sides highlighted the importance of sustained monitoring of the situation in Afghanistan, alongside preventive measures aimed at addressing potential risks.

They also emphasized closer coordination with UN bodies to strengthen regional responses to emerging threats.

In a statement, the CSTO said that “ongoing monitoring of the impact of the Afghanistan factor on regional peace and security, as well as preventive actions to counter emerging threats, remain key priorities.”

The talks come amid repeated assurances from the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan that its territory will not be used to threaten other countries and that border security remains under control.

At the same time, some analysts suggest that continued references to the “Afghanistan factor” in regional forums may reflect wider political dynamics, including efforts to shape engagement with Kabul.

Separately, CSTO Secretary General Talatbek Masadykov has indicated that a broader security meeting involving Afghanistan and Central Asian states is expected later this year, with participation from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Commonwealth of Independent States.