KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is worsening Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis, with rising commodity prices placing further strain on the country’s fragile economy, Georgette Gagnon, acting head of the UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), told the UN Security Council on Monday.
Speaking during a council session on Afghanistan, Gagnon said the closure of the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan has forced trade onto alternative routes through Iran, which has now become increasingly uncertain due to the ongoing conflict.
“Currently, it is difficult to predict the outcome of the conflict in the Middle East, but it is already affecting Afghanistan,” she said.
Gagnon also drew attention to ongoing hostilities between Taliban and Pakistan, saying the clashes have imposed heavy human and economic costs on Afghanistan. She urged both sides to immediately cease hostilities and resolve disputes through diplomacy.
“Instability in the region, on both of Afghanistan’s longest borders, undermines Afghanistan’s stability,” she said.
The UN official pointed to multiple other factors worsening the humanitarian situation, including Taliban policies prioritizing ideological rigidity, significant cuts to international aid, recurrent climate shocks, and the return of millions of refugees. These elements, she said, have intensified the crisis, triggering new waves of outmigration and secondary internal displacement.
“The humanitarian crisis is worsened by significant funding cuts, growing needs, including due to large-scale return of refugees, and policies of the de facto authorities that prioritize ideological rigidity over the well-being of the Afghan people,” Gagnon said.
She noted that in 2026, humanitarian partners aim to reach 17.5 million Afghans out of nearly 22 million in need, through a $1.71 billion appeal that has so far received only 10% of the required funding.
Gagnon stressed that Afghanistan’s isolation from the international system remains a central issue, limiting progress on economics, security, counter-terrorism, human rights, and the humanitarian response.
The UN official also criticized the Taliban’s ban on UN national female staff, saying their absence has limited the agency’s ability to provide vital support to women and communities. She urged the Taliban to lift the restriction and allow female UN staff to return to their offices.
Gagnon further called on the Taliban to lift broader restrictions on women and girls, including the longstanding ban on secondary and higher education, now entering its fifth year. She said reversing such policies would benefit Afghan society, particularly women and girls, and send a positive signal to the international community.
On security, she noted that while the Taliban have been generally effective against ISIS-K, regional neighbors remain concerned about extremism originating in Afghanistan. “The de facto authorities also have a way to go to convince the world they are serious about meeting their counter-terrorism commitments,” she said.
Gagnon said the UN continues to support the Doha process, which seeks to create conditions for Afghanistan’s reintegration into the international community, but she stressed that meaningful progress ultimately depends on the Taliban’s actions and backing from UN member states.
“The United Nations is the convener of the Doha process, but it is the Member States that can best demonstrate and provide the incentives for reintegration,” she said. “And it is the de facto authorities that must do more, through their actions, to show they are ready and interested in achieving this end state.”
She concluded by emphasizing the need for continued UN engagement in Afghanistan, including the renewal of UNAMA’s mandate, set to expire this month. The mission, she said, remains committed to supporting an Afghanistan at peace with itself and its neighbors, reintegrated into the international system, and fulfilling its international obligations for the benefit of its people.
