KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Norwegian Refugee Council has accused NATO member states of forgetting their promises to support the people of Afghanistan following the withdrawal of their troops, diplomats and institutions, amid a deepening humanitarian, economic and climate crisis in the country.
In a report on Monday, the NRC said the situation was being compounded by the return of more than six million Afghans from neighboring countries, recurring climate shocks, regional tensions, restrictions on women and girls, and cuts in humanitarian aid.
The NRC said 73% of Afghans who have returned remain unemployed, highlighting the difficulty of reintegrating large numbers of people into an economy with limited job opportunities.
“NATO countries have forgotten their solemn promises to Afghan girls and boys and turned their backs on Afghan civilians,” NRC Secretary General Jan Egeland said. “We find ourselves increasingly alone in facing growing needs and shrinking rights for girls and women across Afghanistan.”
Humanitarian funding has fallen sharply even as needs have increased, according to the NRC. The annual Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Afghanistan was nearly 96% funded in 2021, but that figure fell to 42% in 2025. So far this year, only 26% of the required funding has been provided.
Egeland called for increased development investment to support long-term solutions and recovery. He said the international community should also engage with Afghan authorities to ensure humanitarian response and basic service delivery are not affected by politics, so vulnerable communities can access assistance.
Since the Taliban took power, Afghanistan’s humanitarian situation has deteriorated markedly and ranks among the world’s most critical crises. The United Nations estimates that nearly 22 million people — almost half the population — now require urgent humanitarian assistance.
The country has absorbed millions of returnees while also enduring repeated natural disasters, including earthquakes, heavy rains, flooding, and landslides. These events have caused significant human and financial losses for an already impoverished population.
Meanwhile, humanitarian agencies are grappling with one of the most severe funding shortfalls in recent years. The UN’s $1.7 billion humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan for 2026 remains significantly underfunded, with only 26% of the required funds secured to date.
UN agencies and humanitarian groups continue to call for sustained international support, warning that funding shortages are affecting the delivery of food, shelter and healthcare to millions of vulnerable Afghans.
