Afghanistan Peace CampaignHowever, some economic experts believe that significant foundational work has been carried out in recent years compared to the past.
The Ministry of Economy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, responding to a report by The New York Times, says that national revenue and economic stability in the country are not dependent on foreign assistance.
The ministry’s spokesperson said that unemployment, declining household purchasing power, and climate vulnerability are the main causes of malnutrition and food insecurity, and assured that efforts are underway to address economic and livelihood challenges by relying on the country’s economic capacities and domestic revenue.
Abdul Rahman Habib, spokesperson for the Ministry of Economy, said: “Direct support for farmers, water resource management, support for domestic production and small enterprises, implementation of job-creation programs, and measures to mitigate the risks of climate change and drought are among the key priorities of the relevant ministries to reduce food insecurity.”
Previously, The New York Times reported that after the administration of former US President Donald Trump sharply reduced foreign aid to Afghanistan nearly a year ago, the country faced an unprecedented crisis.
According to the report, about four million children are currently at risk of death due to malnutrition the highest level in the past 25 years. During the same period, 450 health clinics have been closed, increasing the risk of death for newborns, mothers during childbirth, and emergency patients.
Humanitarian needs have also grown following the deportation of 2.8 million Afghan migrants from Iran and Pakistan, while acute hunger has intensified, affecting more than 17 million people around 40 percent of the population an increase of two million compared to last year. Additionally, seven provinces have reached a critical level of food insecurity, the final stage before famine.
Sayed Masoud, a university lecturer, said: “The largest aid Afghanistan has received in its history was wasted. However, we should not think that nothing was achieved. Some progress was made, but it was not proportional to the level of investment that entered Afghanistan.”
The report also cited projections by the Center for Global Development, which estimate that Afghanistan will lose nearly five percent of its national income in 2026 due to declining donor funding.
However, some economic experts believe that significant foundational work has been carried out in recent years compared to the past, and that continuing this trend could lead to self-reliance and free Afghanistan from dependence on foreign aid.
Mohammad Nabi Afghan, an economic analyst, told TOLOnews: “If we attract neighboring countries and implement regional and multi-country projects here, and provide the necessary facilities, we can change the current negative situation. Our economy will grow, we will become self-sufficient, and we will no longer need foreign aid.”
This comes as the United States continued to send nearly one billion dollars annually to Afghanistan even after 2021, but following Donald Trump’s return to the White House, US assistance was suspended by a single decision. Although Washington later resumed aid to other crisis-hit countries, Afghanistan is currently not among them.