World / Asia-Pacific
UN official says Afghanistan at "difficult crossroad" as aid funding falls
A senior UN official said Nov. 6 that rights curbs, mass returns and shrinking aid are deepening Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis.
Source-checked story: attributed UN briefing; no on-location reporting.
Afghanistan stands at a “difficult crossroad” more than five years after the Taliban returned to power, with relative stability undercut by a fragile economy, sweeping curbs on rights and acute humanitarian need, a senior UN official said Nov. 6.
Bruno Lemarquis, the UN’s deputy special representative and resident and humanitarian coordinator for Afghanistan, told reporters at UN headquarters that humanitarian funding has fallen from $2 billion in 2023 to $1 billion in 2025 and about $570 million so far in 2026, roughly a quarter of 2023 levels. About 40% of primary health care facilities, or 700 of 1,900 health posts, are expected to close between 2025 and 2026 because of the cuts, he said.
Lemarquis said women and girls face “severe and sweeping” restrictions. More than 2.6 million girls have been denied secondary education since 2021, and female university enrollment stands at zero, according to UN News. Afghan women staff members have been barred from UN premises across the country since September 2025. He also cited the return of 6.7 million Afghans, many forcibly expelled from Pakistan and Iran, and a recent UN report showing opium poppy production rising sharply despite a 2022 Taliban ban.
Humanitarian needs are expected to rise sharply in 2027 because of returnees, regional instability and a strong El Niño, UN News reported. “The consequences could go beyond the Afghanistan border, potentially affecting regional security, regional stability and migration pathways,” Lemarquis said, urging donors not to turn away from the country.
What we know / what we don't
What we know
- A senior UN official said Nov. 6 that rights curbs, mass returns and shrinking aid are deepening Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis.
What we don't know
- This story is based on a UN official’s briefing; it is not independent field reporting.
The source record