A new OCHA report said that the estimated number of people in need of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan has increased to “28.8 million (up from 28.3 million at the beginning of 2023).”
“Between June to December 2023, humanitarian partners require $2.26 billion to deliver prioritized multi-sectoral assistance to 20 million people,” the report said.
Afghanistan is facing a severe humanitarian crisis and economic hardship as billions of dollars of Afghanistan’s foreign assets remain frozen.
“I come to work on the street, God willing, I earn 50 to 100 Afs or sometimes I even cannot make any money,” said Mohammad Hossien, a resident of Kabul.
“We call on the government to help us,” said Mohammad Musa, a resident of Kabul.
Economists said that there is a need for economic assistance to prevent a humanitarian crisis in the country.
“Within the past two years, most of the aid was for humanitarian purposes and humanitarian crises. Unfortunately, in the meantime, there has been no economic aid that can alleviate the humanitarian crisis and also create job opportunities,” said Seyar Qureshi, an economist.
The Islamic Emirate meanwhile said that the interim government is planning to launch development projects to alleviate poverty and humanitarian crisis in the country.
“The Islamic Emirate’s plan for reduction of poverty, improvement of exports and strengthening of national economic projects as well as strengthening transit locations is steadfast,” said Abdul Latif Nazari, deputy minister of the Economy.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported that the United Nations and humanitarian agencies have revised the budget for Afghanistan’s aid plan for 2023 to $3.2 billion, down from $4.6 billion earlier in the year.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a statement that a “changing operating context” in the wake of Taliban administration restrictions on female aid workers had contributed to the revised plan, according to Reuters.