Connect with us

Latest News

WFP warns funding cuts could leave millions of Afghans facing extreme hunger

WFP officials in Kabul said the agency is being forced to make “impossible choices,” prioritizing the most vulnerable groups — women-headed households, children, and the elderly — while cutting assistance to others equally in need.

Published

on

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that drastic global funding cuts could push millions of people around the world, including Afghans, deeper into hunger, as food assistance reaches its lowest levels in years.

In a new report released from Rome, WFP said its operations in Afghanistan are among the six hardest hit by a 40 percent drop in global funding, with resources shrinking from $9.8 billion in 2024 to $6.4 billion this year. The agency cautioned that without urgent financial support, “life-saving assistance to households in Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5) is at risk.”

According to the WFP, less than 10 percent of Afghans in need are currently receiving food aid, despite soaring levels of malnutrition, widespread unemployment, and worsening poverty. Millions of Afghan families rely on WFP distributions as their primary source of food, particularly during harsh winters and amid ongoing economic isolation.

“The humanitarian system [globally] is under severe strain as partners pull back from frontline locations, creating a vacuum,” the report said. “Programme coverage has been slashed and rations cut.”

WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain described the situation as catastrophic. “The world is facing hunger issues on a scale never seen before – and the funds needed to help us respond are woefully insufficient.”

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) — the UN-backed system that monitors global hunger — warns that the funding gap could push up to 13.7 million people from “Crisis” to “Emergency” levels of food insecurity in countries like Afghanistan.

Humanitarian officials say the crisis has been worsened by cuts to international aid, including the sharp reduction in U.S. foreign assistance earlier this year under President Donald Trump’s administration. The move has crippled humanitarian operations across several regions, including Afghanistan, which remains heavily dependent on external support.

WFP officials in Kabul said the agency is being forced to make “impossible choices,” prioritizing the most vulnerable groups — women-headed households, children, and the elderly — while cutting assistance to others equally in need.

Afghanistan continues to face one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with more than 15 million people experiencing acute food insecurity. Economic collapse, drought, and limited job opportunities have deepened hunger in both rural and urban areas.

The UN formally declared a famine in Gaza earlier this year, while the WFP said Wednesday that the number of people categorised as “in famine or on the brink” has doubled in just two years to 1.4 million across five countries.

Rising hunger levels not only put lives at risk but also undermine regional stability and fuel the displacement of communities, McCain said.

“We are at risk of losing decades of progress in the fight against hunger,” she said.

The WFP urged donor nations to step forward with renewed funding commitments to prevent further deterioration, stressing that sustained humanitarian support is essential – especially in Afghanistan where efforts are needed to avert a large-scale famine this winter.

Latest News

Islamic Emirate’s army now self-sufficient, says chief of army staff

Published

on

Mohammad Fasihuddin Fitrat, Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, says that over the past four years, the army forces of the Islamic Emirate have shown no hesitation in defending and protecting Afghanistan, and that today the country’s army is standing on its own feet.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Defense, Fitrat made these remarks at a meeting with media representatives, political analysts, and a number of government officials aimed at coordination and strengthening cooperation. He added: “Nations that cannot stand on their own feet and rely on others, even if they grow, will not be capable of achieving real progress.”

Fitrat also expressed appreciation for the role of the media in ensuring security and in supporting the country’s defense forces, stating: “We and you, as citizens of this land, must put our hands together and build the country together, take pride in our forces, and strive with all our strength for the country’s development. We have created an army that defends honor, territorial integrity, and the borders of the country, and serves as the guardian of our freedom.”

He emphasized that the Islamic Emirate is working to establish an army equipped with modern weapons so that it can defend the country’s territory under all circumstances.

He stated that the country’s army has proven to the people that anyone who looks at this land with ill intent will face a firm and courageous response, and that it has also been made clear to neighboring countries that any aggression against Afghanistan will be met with a response several times stronger.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Afghan health minister attends second WHO summit in India

Published

on

Noor Jalal Jalali, the Minister of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate, participated in the second World Health Organization meeting on traditional medicine during his official visit to India.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of Public Health said that the meeting was held in India with the participation of representatives from around 100 countries, health ministers from 23 countries, professional experts from various nations, and officials from different departments of the World Health Organization.

During the meeting, discussions were held on the standardization of traditional medicine, training of individuals active in this field, recognition of traditional medicine as an established reality, and the sharing of countries’ experiences in this area.

The ministry stated that the purpose of participating in the conference was to standardize traditional medicine in Afghanistan, adding that for several decades this sector has been practiced in a non-standard manner and without a defined curriculum or clear principles.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan boost trade and digital finance ties

Minister Sydykov, in turn, pledged the continuation of Kyrgyzstan’s humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and highlighted his country’s interest in working together on e-governance initiatives.

Published

on

Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, Abdul Salam Hanafi, has met with a high-level Kyrgyz delegation led by Minister of Economy and Commerce Bakhyt Sydykov to discuss expanding bilateral trade and strengthening cooperation in digital financial services.

During the meeting, Hanafi reaffirmed Afghanistan’s readiness to deepen ties with Kyrgyzstan, stressing the importance of developing electronic administration systems and modern banking channels to facilitate trade and financial transactions between the two countries.

Minister Sydykov, in turn, pledged the continuation of Kyrgyzstan’s humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and highlighted his country’s interest in working together on e-governance initiatives. He also pointed to potential cooperation in areas such as the printing of securities and the development of electronic payment systems.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright © 2025 Ariana News. All rights reserved!