KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Switzerland has provided $2.4 million in humanitarian funding for Afghanistan, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced Monday, as the country continues to grapple with a severe humanitarian crisis.
In a statement posted on social media, UNHCR’s Afghanistan office thanked the government and people of Switzerland for the contribution, saying the funding would help the agency respond to rapidly evolving humanitarian needs across the country.
The UN refugee agency said the funding would be used to support the sustainable reintegration of Afghan returnees and assist vulnerable communities, many of which continue to face economic hardship and limited access to essential services.
The contribution follows Switzerland’s allocation of nearly $2 million last month to the U.N. Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund, which supports people affected by crises and sudden shocks across the country.
Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies, driven by decades of conflict, economic decline, recurring natural disasters, and the return of millions of Afghan refugees from neighboring countries in recent years.
According to UN agencies and humanitarian organizations, nearly half of Afghanistan’s population relies on humanitarian assistance. Aid groups have also reported rising levels of food insecurity and malnutrition, particularly among women and children, while reduced international funding has forced several organizations to scale back or suspend critical programs.
The funding gap has emerged as one of the main challenges facing relief efforts. The UN’s humanitarian response plan for Afghanistan for 2026 is seeking $1.71 billion to provide life-saving assistance across the country, but less than 20% of the required funding has been secured so far.
UN agencies and humanitarian organizations have repeatedly appealed to international donors to maintain support for Afghanistan, warning that further reductions in aid could leave millions of vulnerable people without access to food, healthcare, protection services, and emergency assistance.
