UN Warns of $1.43 Billion Funding Shortfall Threatening Humanitarian Aid in Afghanistan
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has issued a stark warning about a significant funding shortfall jeopardizing humanitarian operations in Afghanistan, Amu TV reported. According to OCHA’s recent report, Afghanistan Humanitarian Response Gap Analysis 2024, only 53% of the $3.06 billion required for the year’s response plan has been secured as of mid-2025, leaving a gap of approximately $1.43 billion.
Despite the financial constraints, humanitarian partners managed to assist over 22.4 million people in 2024, surpassing the initial target of 17.3 million. However, the report highlights major disparities in the type and frequency of aid delivered. Nearly 67% of recipients received only food aid, often with reduced rations and longer intervals between distributions. More comprehensive support—including clean water, healthcare, education, and emergency shelter—reached just 3.1 million people, covering only 41% of the 7.6 million people targeted monthly in these sectors.
OCHA expressed serious concern over ongoing shortfalls, particularly in water and sanitation services, which increase the risk of disease outbreaks, malnutrition, and preventable deaths. “Insufficient funding for core sectors continues to undermine the delivery of essential services and increases the vulnerability of Afghan families,” the agency stated.
While late pledges as of May 2025 helped raise funding from 47% to 53% of the target, totaling $1.63 billion, and an additional $412.5 million in carryover funds from 2023 were added, these amounts remain inadequate to close the gap.
OCHA called for urgent international action, warning that without swift intervention, progress in stabilizing Afghanistan’s humanitarian situation could be reversed. “The international community must not allow Afghanistan to slide further into crisis due to a failure of funding,” the report concluded.
