In the recent years, the humanitarian situation of Afghanistan has consistently deteriorated due to a variety of contributing factors, including draught, climate shocks, war and COVID-19 pandemic. This situation was further exacerbated by the abrupt collapse of the republic in 2021 and the subsequent socio-economic challenges that ensued in the aftermath of the collapse of the system. The emerging statistics on the humanitarian crises in Afghanistan are staggering. It is estimated the 28.3 million people will need protection and humanitarian assistance in 2023, which constitute a considerable increase compared to the previous two years. These crises have affected and will continue to affect both rural and urban populations of the country for an unforeseeable future.
Considering the scale and severity of the crises, there is a dire need for a collective response from all national and international actors. The international community has generously continued to provide resources for preventing a humanitarian catastrophe during these crises through various channels. Similarly, there has been a noticeable increase in the contribution of the Afghan diaspora, organizations and individuals to provide life-saving support and assistance to their fellow countrymen in these hard times, which is indeed encouraging. However, unarguably there is a need for finding sustainable solutions to the multi-faced crises resulting in the prevailing humanitarian emergency.
The current authorities of the country need to realize it is their responsibility to take concrete actions for ensuring adequate service delivery to and decent living condition for the Afghan populations. For this purpose, there is need for increased interaction with both the Afghan people as well as the international community to remove the deadlocks resulting in its isolation and the subsequent outcomes.