The U.S. Department of State, responding to serious concerns raised by the United Nations over the food insecurity crisis in Afghanistan, stated that more than four years after the Taliban returned to power, the time has come for the group to play a constructive role in supporting the health and well-being of the Afghan people.
The department told Voice of America that, under the directive of U.S. President Donald Trump, all American aid to Afghanistan that carried concerns about potentially reaching the Taliban had been suspended.
This position comes as the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) recently warned that critical food supplies for malnourished mothers and children in Afghanistan had run out. According to the organization, the closure of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border since October last year forced aid agencies to redirect shipments through Iran. However, the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, the blockade of Iranian ports, and maritime restrictions resulting from the U.S. and Israeli war with Iran have also blocked this alternative route.
Corinne Fleischer, the WFP’s Director of Supply Chain in Geneva, noted that 17 million people in Afghanistan are facing acute food insecurity. She stated that the organization is now compelled to transport its shipments through Saudi Arabia and Dubai, a process that requires significantly more time and expense.
Meanwhile, the Taliban, which had previously suspended all trade relations with Pakistan, had hoped to replace Pakistani ports with Iran’s Chabahar Port. However, the outbreak of war in the region has also affected Iranian ports, effectively blocking transportation routes.
According to the latest United Nations reports, around 27 million Afghans currently depend on international humanitarian assistance for survival, and the continued transit deadlocks and suspension of international aid are placing the lives of millions of the most vulnerable members of society at serious risk.
Writer:Salima Hakimi
