One year after the Taliban returned to power, Action Against Hunger warns of the humanitarian crisis affecting more than 92% of the population in Afghanistan. The humanitarian organisation, present in the country since 1995, testifies to a collapse of the local economy, due to the lack of international recognition of the country’s central bank, and calls on governments to end the economic restrictionsthat paralyse the country.
Afghanistan’s economy, which was 70 percent dependent on international aid, has fallen dramatically since last year. The central bank’s foreign reserves are depleted, international aid, which maintained overriding public policies, is interrupted, and the halt in hard currency deliveries is causing a liquidity crisis.
Humanitarian aid faces many challenges. The supply of medicines and equipment to Afghanistan is a real challenge due to the complex process of importing and the absence of commercial flights. In addition to logistical problems, the shortage of liquidity leads to problems in making transactions.
Action Against Hunger teams in Afghanistan have significantly increased their staff and launched additional mobile clinics to meet growing needs. The organisation has supported nearly 500,000 people since January 2022 with programs in nutrition, health, food security, water, hygiene and sanitation in five provinces of the country, including earthquake victims in Paktika and Khost provinces. In Helmand, the therapeutic nutrition units operate 24/7 and receive children suffering from severe acute malnutrition with serious complications.
In the country, where nearly 95% of people do not have enough to eat, international sanctions reinforce the precariousness of a population tired and exhausted by 40 years of conflict.
“The liquidity crisis affects everyone. It is not uncommon to see people on the streets selling furniture and valuables in exchange for cash. It cannot continue like this, we must find a solution to this situation caused by the sanctions,” said Samy Guessabi, Director of Action Against Hunger in Afghanistan.
“The freezing of the assets of the Central Bank of Afghanistan will continue to have a very negative impact on the country’s economy and the general population.”
Action Against Hunger calls for:
- The resumption of Official Development Assistance in order to revive the Afghan economy to fight poverty.
- The re-establishment of the banking system, which is essential for the delivery of international aid, in particular for humanitarian actors.
ENDS
Notes to editor
• Samy Guessabi, Director of Action Against Hunger in Afghanistan is available for interview upon request. For Action Against Hunger UK interview requests, please contact Lucy or David on the details below.
• Action Against Hunger is the world’s leading charity stopping life-threatening hunger in its tracks. By training parents and healthcare workers to spot the signs, we get life-saving care to people who need it. Action Against Hunger’s research drives forward understanding of how to predict, prevent and treat life-threatening hunger. With unbeatable knowledge and unstoppable determination, the charity supported more than 26 million people across 51 countries in 2021.
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