WFP appeals $25 million to support Afghan returnees amid growing humanitarian crisis

The World Food Programme urgently requests $25 million to address the escalating needs of Afghan returnees facing severe hardship.

The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that thousands of Afghan families are returning from Pakistan every day, facing food insecurity. The organization emphasized that millions in Afghanistan are grappling with severe hunger, and immediate aid of $25 million is needed to assist returnees.

On Wednesday, April 23, in a video shared on X, WFP’s head in Afghanistan, Munitnta Chimuka, visited the Torkham border crossing with Pakistan. During her visit, she highlighted the challenges faced by returnees, many of whom have spent their entire lives in Pakistan and are unfamiliar with Afghanistan.

Chimuka pointed out that many returnees lack income, employment, food, or shelter. This situation is worsening amidst Afghanistan’s deepening humanitarian crisis, which continues to strain the country’s resources.

The WFP stressed that thousands of families are forced to leave Pakistan, while 15 million people in Afghanistan are uncertain where their next meal will come from. The situation has become dire, with basic needs going unmet for a large portion of the population.

The head of WFP in Afghanistan also warned that current aid efforts are insufficient to support the returnees, and new financial resources are urgently needed to address their needs by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, the pace of deportations and expulsions of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries, particularly Pakistan and Iran, continues to increase. The Pakistani Ministry of Interior reported that over 100,000 Afghan migrants have been returned since April 1.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has also raised alarms, noting that with around 5,000 migrants returning every week, millions of Afghans are facing poverty, homelessness, and difficult living conditions. The ongoing crisis underscores the urgency for international assistance and cooperation to mitigate the growing humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan.

The WFP’s appeal for emergency financial support highlights the need for immediate intervention to address both the challenges faced by Afghan returnees and the broader food security crisis in Afghanistan. Without significant global assistance, the situation is expected to worsen, with millions of lives at risk.

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