Feb 12 • 04:01 UTC 🇮🇱 Israel Haaretz

40% of Afghanistan's population suffers from severe hunger after the US shut down the aid program USAID

A significant portion of Afghanistan's population is facing severe hunger due to the sudden termination of USAID support by the United States.

The abrupt and harsh cutback of US aid to Afghanistan has left many citizens in dire conditions, with reports indicating that 40% of the country's population is currently facing severe hunger. Following the US military withdrawal and the conclusion of the war in 2021, the US government continued to funnel financial assistance into Afghanistan, providing nearly a billion dollars annually until the end of the previous year. This assistance accounted for over one-third of the total aid extended to one of the world's poorest nations.

The financial support from the United States diminished significantly with the dismantling of USAID, the agency responsible for international development aid. The implications of this aid suspension are severe, as Afghanistan is already grappling with poverty, food insecurity, and a deteriorating humanitarian crisis. The aid withdrawal coincides with the Taliban's takeover, complicating the situation further as humanitarian needs surge amid the economic collapse.

As Afghanistan faces one of the worst humanitarian crises, the international community's response is critical. The cessation of US aid not only affects immediate food security but also destabilizes broader economic conditions, increasing the urgency for alternative forms of humanitarian assistance and intervention from other nations or organizations. The severity of hunger among the population reflects the deep systemic issues within Afghanistan, demanding a reconsideration of international aid policies to avert a full-scale disaster.

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