The BRICS TimesHumanitarian Catastrophe Looms: Global Funding Cuts and Mass Return of Refugees Push Afghans to the Brink of Hunger
The Harsh Reality of Humanitarian Need
Millions of people in Afghanistan are currently struggling to survive. The humanitarian aid, which was their only lifeline, is now rapidly disappearing. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reports a staggering need. Approximately 22.9 million Afghans, nearly half the country’s population, required some form of humanitarian support in 2025. This means countless people cannot feed themselves without external help. The core problem is a significant reduction in international funding. Several nations, including the US, have scaled back their aid. This forces organizations like the World Food Programme (WFP) to operate with severely limited resources.
Escalating Hunger and Economic Pain
The United Nations’ food program issues a dire warning. About 17 million Afghans face severe hunger this winter. This figure marks an increase of over 3 million compared to last year. The brutal cold, high unemployment, and soaring inflation have worsened the situation. The nation is already dealing with a fragile economy. Adding to the crisis are droughts, earthquakes, and the return of millions of refugees from neighboring countries. Resources for food, shelter, and medical treatment are critically scarce.
International Aid Grinds to a Halt
A senior UN official recently highlighted a troubling situation. This is the first time in many years that almost no international food distribution has occurred during the winter. While last year’s aid reached millions, only a handful of families received relief this year. According to the official, only 1 million people got food assistance in 2025. In contrast, this aid reached 5.6 million people in 2024. Due to the funding shortfall, the UN will focus only on 3.9 million of the most desperate people in 2026.
Mass Refugee Return Adds to the Burden
Afghanistan’s Minister of Refugee Affairs, Abdul Kabir, states a worrying statistic. Over the last four years, 7.1 million Afghan refugees have returned home. Rahimullah is one of those individuals. He was previously in the Afghan army. He fled to Pakistan in 2021 after the Taliban seized power. However, he was sent back to Afghanistan two years later, facing an uncertain future. The country must now support these returnees.
