UN Seeks $1.71 Billion for Afghanistan's 2026 Humanitarian Crisis

In 2026, an estimated 21.9 million people will require humanitarian assistance, a 4 per cent decrease from 2025, and 17.4 million people are projected to face acute food insecurity, including 4.7 million in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency), according to OCHA.

The office said that UN humanitarian partners will prioritize 17.5 million people for assistance in 2026, around 80 per cent of those in need, through a coordinated response costing 1.71 billion dollars. Assistance will focus on life-saving and protective interventions, including food, shelter, healthcare, nutrition, safe water, hygiene and multipurpose cash support, Xinhua news agency reported.

With needs remaining among the highest globally in a non-conflict setting, humanitarian conditions in Afghanistan continue to be driven by deep structural vulnerability, worsening food insecurity, and recurrent shocks, including climate-driven drought, large-scale returnee inflows, frequent earthquakes and floods, multiple disease outbreaks, and severe protection risks, especially for women and girls, the office said.

Mass cross-border returns further compound needs: more than 2.61 million Afghans returned from Iran and Pakistan in 2025 alone, placing significant pressure on host communities, basic services and livelihoods, OCHA said.

- IANS