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UN warns life becoming ‘impossible’ in remote areas of Afghanistan as aid funding falls short
Olga Cherevko, an OCHA official, said some villages have been left nearly deserted as families migrate in search of better living conditions.
The United Nations has warned that life is becoming increasingly difficult in remote parts of Afghanistan as a deepening humanitarian crisis, driven by drought, food insecurity, and a severe funding shortfall, continues to affect millions across the country.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), nearly 22 million people in Afghanistan require humanitarian assistance, while the organization’s $1.7 billion appeal for 2026 has received only 14 percent of the funding needed.
Aid workers say prolonged drought and water scarcity have devastated rural communities, forcing many families to abandon their homes and livelihoods. In Bamyan province, one of the country’s hardest-hit regions, residents have reported widespread crop failures due to a lack of water for irrigation.
Olga Cherevko, an OCHA official, said some villages have been left nearly deserted as families migrate in search of better living conditions.
“This particular village (in Bamyan province) that I went to, they told me that around half of the population had left, actually, because there’s simply no water to irrigate the lands, and so all the crops that they were growing, they dried up,” Cherevko told UN News. “People who could leave, they left.”
Those who remain often lack the resources to relocate and face severe hardship. Cherevko recalled meeting a father of nine whose family was surviving on a soup made from potato peelings.
The crisis is particularly severe for children. The United Nations estimates that 3.7 million Afghan children are suffering from acute malnutrition, with many cases going undetected until it is too late. Aid workers have reported instances where children died because parents were unaware of the signs of malnutrition and delayed seeking treatment.
Despite financial constraints, humanitarian agencies continue to provide assistance. Between January and April this year, aid partners reached 5.9 million people with at least one form of support, including 3.5 million people who received food assistance.
However, the United Nations has warned that without significantly increased international funding, millions of Afghans will remain vulnerable to worsening hunger, poverty, and displacement in the months ahead.
Ariana Afghan Airlines has ranked seventh among 45 airlines in Central Asia in Skytrax’s 2026 rankings.
Company officials say Ariana Afghan ranked eighth on the list in 2025, but moved up one place this year following improvements in service quality and the expansion of its operations.
According to the officials, in 2026 the airline met criteria including service quality, flight safety, professional cabin crew, and experience in the aviation sector, placing it among the top 10 airlines in Central Asia.
Skytrax is an international organization that evaluates and ranks the quality of services in the aviation industry and airlines, assessing and ranking carriers annually based on specific criteria.
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Silk Road highway in Wakhan corridor now reaches the China border
The road is expected to be officially opened for use in the near future, potentially improving connectivity through the remote Wakhan Corridor.
The construction of the Silk Road Highway in Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor has been fully completed after five years of work, officials in Badakhshan province said.
Amanullah Chehra, head of Rural Rehabilitation and Development in Badakhshan, said the 121.13-kilometre road begins in the Barghil area and stretches to Bzai Gonbad near the Chinese border.
According to officials, the road is between 7 and 10 metres wide and includes three major bridges, each measuring approximately 20 to 22 metres in length. Numerous smaller drainage structures have also been built along the route to facilitate the flow of water.
The road is expected to be officially opened for use in the near future, potentially improving connectivity through the remote Wakhan Corridor.
Afghanistan’s Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, met on Wednesday with Bruno Lemarquis, UNAMA’s Deputy Head for Humanitarian Affairs, to discuss the situation of Afghan returnees and humanitarian assistance.
The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said Lemarquis briefed the minister on assessments conducted by UN agencies during visits to several provinces to identify the needs of returnee families.
Lemarquis said joint cooperation between UN agencies and the Islamic Emirate is needed to support and resettle returnees. He added that UN agencies are currently assisting thousands of families and called for the expansion of humanitarian assistance.
He also said the international community should pay greater attention to the needs of Afghans, adding that UNAMA is ready to cooperate in addressing challenges facing returnees.
Abdul Kabir welcomed UNAMA’s support and thanked the United Nations for its assistance to Afghans. He said various government institutions have been tasked with addressing returnees’ needs.
The minister also called on aid organizations to continue supporting returnee families, saying a program to resettle thousands of internally displaced families is also underway.
Kabir further said the necessary facilities have been provided for UN agencies to operate and that the Islamic Emirate welcomes UNAMA’s humanitarian cooperation.
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