KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Switzerland has contributed 1.5 million Swiss francs ($1.95 million) to the United Nations’ Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund, the UN said on Thursday, as aid agencies struggle with severe funding shortages in one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a post on X that the contribution would help deliver emergency assistance to people affected by crises and sudden shocks across Afghanistan.
The donation comes as nearly 21.9 million people in Afghanistan require humanitarian assistance this year, according to UN estimates, making it one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies.
Aid agencies have struggled with declining funding in recent years as donor focus has shifted to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, worsening resource shortages for essential operations inside Afghanistan.
The UN has appealed for $1.71 billion this year to meet urgent needs. As of early June, however, only $269 million, about roughly 16% of the target, had been secured, according to OCHA.
UN agencies and humanitarian groups have repeatedly called for sustained international support, warning that shortages in funding are affecting the delivery of food, shelter, and healthcare to millions of vulnerable Afghans.
