Afghanistan

Overview

Following an offensive that saw the Taliban take control of almost all districts previously held by the government, the Taliban entered the capital Kabul in August 2021 and consolidated their power in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan government collapsed, and the Taliban nominated some of their members to form a government in communication with a ‘coordination council’ formed by Afghan leaders to manage the transfer of power. ?Despite the Taliban’s taking control of much of the country, other resistance and armed groups started to challenge their authority. ?

Over 24 million people require humanitarian assistance in 2022.?Economic shocks are the main driver of humanitarian needs in Afghanistan. The average monthly income has fallen by 15% since last year. Reduced incomes, increased debt, and rising prices for basic goods such as food and fuel have resulted in households spending less on essential services including education and healthcare. Households in rural areas are particularly affected by the deteriorating economy, reporting higher debt and a higher proportion using emergency coping mechanisms than households in urban areas. Drought-affected communities, households having a member with a disability, and women-headed households with children, particularly girls, are more vulnerable to economic hardship. Access to food remains the priority need.?

Afghanistan is prone to natural disasters, including earthquakes, drought and floods. The government had declared drought conditions in June 2022. Water resources are increasingly strained owing to below-average precipitation since October 2020. Drought has triggered internal displacement, decreased livelihood opportunities, and contributed to food insecurity ?. Flooding regularly affects various parts of Afghanistan, particularly northern and eastern areas. ?

Latest Developments

Temperatures in Afghanistan plunged to as low as −34° C in January. As at 28 January, the extreme cold and attempts to generate heat, which would lead to gas leaks and fires, had led to over 160 deaths. Besides the loss of human lives, over 200,000 livestock also died between 10–28 January. The extreme cold weather has also affected harvests, decreasing the availability and accessibility of food and worsening food insecurity in the country. In 2023, over 19 million people are estimated to face severe acute food insecurity, and over three million children are expected to suffer from global acute malnutrition. People are in dire need of assistance across all sectors. Humanitarian access is restricted in many areas of Afghanistan as a result of heavy snowfall, especially in mountainous areas. The Taliban government’s ban on women from working for NGOs in Afghanistan hampers response capacity, and many organisations continue with suspended operations. ?