KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The suspension of U.S. aid has forced at least 50 international humanitarian organizations to halt operations in 28 provinces across Afghanistan, according to the Taliban authorities.
In an interview with Amu TV on Wednesday, Abdul Latif Nazari, the Taliban’s deputy minister of economy, said the affected organizations were involved in providing disaster relief, agriculture support, healthcare, and education.
Nazari urged the international community to avoid politicizing humanitarian aid, emphasizing that such assistance should “truly be humanitarian.”
The aid suspension follows an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump shortly after taking office, halting all foreign aid for at least three months. The move was part of a review by Trump administration to assess the effectiveness and alignment of foreign aid with his foreign policy.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later ordered an immediate halt to foreign aid, with the exception of military assistance to Israel and Egypt. However, as reported by Reuters, Secretary Rubio issued a waiver on Tuesday, exempting food and life-saving humanitarian aid from the 90-day suspension.
Despite previous claims by the Taliban, including Nazari, that their administration is not dependent on foreign aid, the suspension has exposed the regime’s financial vulnerabilities. The halt in aid has caused significant fluctuations in the Afghan currency, with a marked drop in value against the U.S. dollar in recent days.
In an effort to manage the situation, the Taliban-controlled Central Bank of Afghanistan has sold millions of dollars in exchange markets in recent days. However, economic experts argue that without sustained financial support, stabilizing the currency will remain a major challenge for the regime.
The U.S., despite ending its diplomatic and military presence in Afghanistan, remains the country’s largest donor. Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, the U.S. has provided over $3.3 billion in aid, according to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR).
Last week, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) warned that the U.S. decision to suspend aid would have “immediate and disastrous” consequences. NRC Chief Jan Egeland told Reuters that the aid suspension would have severe impacts on an already struggling relief operation, particularly affecting vulnerable girls, women, and civilians in Afghanistan.
According to the UN, nearly 23 million people in Afghanistan, the majority of whom are women and children, rely on humanitarian assistance this year. The UN has requested $2.42 billion to aid 16.8 million people it has identified as most in need.