Afghanistan Peace CampaignThe suspension of US development aid comes as concerns over Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis remain.
According to a Reuters report, exemptions have been granted for military funding to Israel and Egypt; however, no other countries, including Afghanistan, which previously received humanitarian aid from the US, have been mentioned under these exemptions.
The suspension of US development aid comes as concerns over Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis remain.
Askarullah, who polishes shoes on a roadside in Kabul due to economic hardships, told TOLOnews: “There is no money, and there is no work. Poverty is overwhelming. I leave home and come here, praying that God provides for me.”
Meanwhile, Jeremy Konyndyk, a former USAID official who is now president of Refugees International, has called the aid suspension “lunacy,” warning that it will lead to loss of lives.
Alexander Matheou, the Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific at the International Committee of the Red Cross, has also described the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan as critical. He emphasized that international aid to Afghanistan is insufficient and urged the global community not to turn away from Afghanistan in these circumstances.
Matheou said: “The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is as grim as it has ever been. If you go into the villages, the mothers are anemic, the children are severely malnourished, everyone you as is looking for either medicine or food, or a blanket to cover their children with in the winter nights. In other words, this is a long and protracted crisis, it is still in an emergency phase in many parts of the country.”
Simultaneously, the Ministry of Economy has stated that the suspension of development aid by the international community contradicts international law and has urged global policymakers to reconsider their economic policies towards Afghanistan.
Abdul Latif Nazari, the deputy minister of economy, stated: “We want countries to reconsider their policies and adopt an engagement-based approach, particularly concerning economic matters with the Islamic Emirate.”
Meanwhile, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported in its latest assessment that in the current year, 22.9 million people in Afghanistan will require humanitarian aid. The report further states that to assist 16.8 million people in Afghanistan in 2025, $2.42 billion will be needed.