KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), has criticized NATO member states, particularly the United States, for abandoning Afghanistan, emphasizing that the country remains in urgent need of support.
In a video message during his recent visit to Afghanistan, Egeland voiced concern over the reduction of aid at a critical time, noting that more than 22 million people — the majority of them women and girls — are in need of humanitarian assistance.
“For two decades, the US and NATO countries spent trillions on military and development operations here,” Egeland said. “Then they left overnight in 2021, and now seem to have forgotten their promises to Afghan women and girls.”
He urged these nations to ensure their investments are not wasted and to step up efforts in defending the rights of Afghan people, particularly women and girls.
Mr Egeland also expressed concern over the forced deportation of Afghan refugees from Iran and Pakistan, warning that the mass returns are compounding an already dire humanitarian situation.
He pledged that the NRC would continue its operations in Afghanistan to support millions of vulnerable women, children, and men across the country.
Afghanistan remains one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with the UN estimating that nearly 23 million people require aid in 2025. Women and children are among the most vulnerable, as restrictive policies, displacement, and deepening poverty continue to take their toll.
The UN’s humanitarian agency (OCHA) warns that 3.5 million children under five and more than one million pregnant and breastfeeding women are at risk of acute malnutrition this year.
Despite escalating needs, aid efforts have been hindered by significant funding gaps, including the recent suspension of US aid. The UN’s $3.06 billion humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan in 2024 was severely underfunded, with only 40% of the required amount secured.
For 2025, the UN has launched a $2.42 billion appeal, targeting 16.8 million Afghans in urgent need of assistance, though the global community’s commitment remains uncertain.
