US President Donald Trump has announced his intention to cut the remaining US aid to Afghanistan and Yemen.
Donald Trump stated: “You wouldn’t believe it if I say we give Afghanistan a lot of money because that was a Biden deal, another Biden deal. Not only did he embarrass us with that, but they give them billions of dollars to Afghanistan, right? So, we take good care of our friends and we don’t take care of our enemies.”
In response, the World Food Programme, which is supported by US funds, stated that cutting this aid is a death sentence for those facing hunger.
Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said that tomorrow (Wednesday, April 9), a coordination group meeting for Afghanistan will be held in Istanbul, Turkey, with participation from donor countries, global financial institutions, and UNAMA representatives.
He said: “With 22.9 million men, women and children in need of assistance this year, the country is today the world’s second largest humanitarian crisis. The appeal for Afghanistan comes ahead of meetings of Afghanistan Coordination Group that will start tomorrow in Istanbul in Turkey. The group gathers member states, donor representatives, international finance institutions and the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Economy stated that halting aid from countries, especially the US, will have severe negative effects on vulnerable populations in Afghanistan.
Abdul Rahman Habib, the ministry’s spokesperson, said: “Budget cuts due to the suspension of US financial aid, reduced food rations, and the halt of certain humanitarian operations by this organization will directly impact the lives of those in need.”
Mohammad Nabi, an elderly man responsible for a nine-member family, has been forced to work with a cart to support his household.
He said: “I have a family of nine. No one else at home can work. No one has helped me. Sometimes I find work, sometimes not. Sometimes we have food, sometimes we don’t.”
The WFP office in Afghanistan said a day earlier that the country is facing an unprecedented child malnutrition crisis, and many mothers are also malnourished.
