KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The US administration is taking steps to end nearly all remaining humanitarian aid to several countries, including Afghanistan—a move the World Food Programme (WFP) warns could be “a death sentence” for millions.
Reuters, citing several US officials, reported that the State Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) terminated numerous programs over the weekend, including $563 million allocated for Afghanistan.
“Every remaining USAID award for Afghanistan was terminated,” one source told Reuters, adding that the canceled funds included aid for a UN agency supporting women and girls, the WFP, and at least six non-governmental organizations.
Sarah Charles, former head of USAID’s humanitarian affairs bureau, said, “The Afghan awards were very carefully targeted at the most life-saving activities. This will be devastating to the most vulnerable in Afghanistan, who are under the thumb of the Taliban.”
US officials warned that the cuts could lead to new economic instability, affect Afghanistan’s currency, and possibly create conditions that drive people to join extremist groups such as ISIS-Khorasan (ISKP), the ISIS affiliate operating in Afghanistan.
The WFP expressed concern that halting US funding for emergency food assistance “could amount to a death sentence for millions facing extreme hunger and starvation,” and said it was in contact with the US administration to gather more details.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), WFP head Cindy McCain stated that the funding cuts “will deepen hunger, fuel instability, and make the world far less safe.”
“With conflicts & extreme hunger surging, pulling support doesn’t just cost lives—it undermines global stability,” McCain said, urging world leaders to consider the consequences.
The UN reports that nearly 23 million people in Afghanistan, more than half of whom are children, are in need of assistance. The WFP projects that 3.5 million children will suffer from malnutrition this year, which equates to one child every ten seconds.
The US had been Afghanistan’s largest donor until the Trump administration imposed a sweeping freeze on foreign aid, disrupting critical programs, including healthcare, landmine removal, and food security.
According to the UN, the US has contributed $206 million in aid to Afghanistan so far this year. In 2024, the country provided $736 million, mostly through cash shipments initiated by the UN.
Humanitarian agencies have warned that the significant and immediate aid cuts will exacerbate Afghanistan’s already dire crisis.
