Afghanistan Peace Campaign
Britain pledged £105 million annually in humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan through 2029, focusing on food security, healthcare, women and vulnerable communities.
The United Kingdom has pledged £105 million ($141 million) annually in humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan through 2029, reaffirming its long-term commitment to one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises while placing women, girls and vulnerable communities at the center of its aid strategy.
In a written statement to Parliament on Thursday, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan Hamish Falconer said Britain will provide £420 million between 2026 and 2029 to support life-saving humanitarian assistance and essential services across Afghanistan, where millions remain dependent on international aid nearly five years after the Taliban returned to power.
The UK government said an estimated 22 million people are expected to require humanitarian assistance this year, while 17.4 million face acute food insecurity. It added that almost 5 million women, girls and boys are projected to require treatment for acute malnutrition in 2026, underscoring the scale of the country’s humanitarian emergency.
British officials said the funding will support emergency food assistance, healthcare, nutrition, education, livelihoods, protection services and climate resilience. The government said aid will continue to be delivered through trusted humanitarian organizations and Afghan partners operating independently of the Taliban authorities.
London also pledged additional support for Afghans returning from neighboring countries, particularly Iran, where hundreds of thousands have returned or been deported in recent months, placing further strain on already overstretched humanitarian services.
The statement reaffirmed Britain’s criticism of the Taliban’s restrictions on women and girls, saying bans on education, employment and public participation violate fundamental rights and undermine Afghanistan’s long-term stability and development. The government said women and girls will remain a priority, with at least half of all beneficiaries of UK-funded humanitarian programs expected to be female.
The announcement comes as international aid agencies warn that Afghanistan’s humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate. UNICEF recently said severe acute malnutrition has spread to 26 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, while humanitarian organizations have cited funding shortages, economic decline, climate shocks and restrictions affecting women as major obstacles to aid delivery.
British officials said the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will oversee independent monitoring mechanisms to help ensure assistance reaches intended beneficiaries. According to the government, UK development assistance supported at least 2.7 million people during the 2024–25 financial year, including more than 1.7 million women and girls.
The government also reaffirmed its political support for Afghan women, saying it will continue to elevate their voices in international policymaking. It highlighted the UK Special Envoy’s visit to Kabul in May, where he met Afghan women and civil society representatives, and officials’ assessment mission to the Islam Qala border crossing to review the humanitarian needs of returnees arriving from Iran.
Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies following years of conflict, economic collapse and recurring climate shocks. Since the Taliban regained power in August 2021, international sanctions, reduced development assistance and restrictions on women and girls have deepened the country’s economic and social crisis.
According to the United Nations, millions of Afghans continue to rely on humanitarian aid for food, healthcare and other basic services, while donor agencies have repeatedly warned that funding shortfalls threaten critical relief operations.