The United Nations says it reached millions of Afghans with healthcare, education and livelihoods support in 2025, despite declining global humanitarian aid and mounting pressures from displacement, climate shocks and operational constraints.
According to the UN, funding for basic human needs programmes under its Strategic Framework for Afghanistan 2023–2027 rose for a third consecutive year, reaching $1.7 billion in 2025.
Summarising the scale of that support, Indrika Ratwatte, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, said, “Millions of Afghans were reached with essential services, economic opportunities, and livelihoods support.”
He outlined what that meant on the ground. “For example, the UN and partners reached more than 34 million individuals: 43% men and 57% women received healthcare, more than 4.6 million children - 58% boys and 42% girls - enrolled in public education with UN assistance, and around 45,000 long-term jobs were created, with 45% for men and 55% for women, ensuring decent employment and income generation,” Ratwatte said.
The UN said these gains came even as reduced humanitarian assistance, large-scale population movements, climate pressures, disasters and operational constraints continued to strain households, markets and essential services across Afghanistan.
It added that communities had demonstrated resilience by working with the UN and other national and international stakeholders to meet urgent needs while also building longer-term self-reliance.
The organisation also said coordination with donors remained central to the response, with international partners and financial institutions helping to align funding with agreed aid priorities.
AnewZ sought comment from Afghan officials on the latest UN report but had not received a response by the time of publication. However, the Taliban have previously welcomed calls for continued humanitarian assistance.
Looking ahead, the UN said the needs of Afghans remain central to its work and that continued cooperation will be critical to building a more inclusive and resilient future.
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The World Food Programme’s Afghanistan country director has said the cost of transporting food aid into the country has tripled, as global shipping disruption delays supplies for vulnerable children.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, has addressed the U.N. Security Council, saying the world must consider how effective its engagement with the Taliban-run country is as millions face hunger.
More than 17 million people in Afghanistan are facing acute food insecurity this winter, according to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).
The U.S. decision to cut $560 million in food aid is deepening Afghanistan’s worst hunger crisis in decades, threatening millions. Aid groups warn of a “death sentence” as 23 million Afghans, including 3.5 million children, face life-threatening hunger.
A peace agreement between Washington and Tehran is yet to materialise, with U.S. President Donald Trump saying that negotiations are incomplete and an Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman saying that a deal isn't imminent.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 26 May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The World Health Organization warned on Monday that the fast-moving Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda was outpacing response efforts, with 220 suspected deaths reported so far.
Iran has called Monday's U.S. strikes on it 'a gross violation' of their ceasefire. The U.S. military said it carried out defensive strikes in southern Iran after boats were seen laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the U.S. says a peace deal may require several more days.
Shortly after nine o’clock on Tuesday morning (26 May), a sleek white train eased into Tbilisi’s central railway station, a couple of minutes behind schedule, carrying passengers from Baku for the first time since 2020.
Tajikistan is hosting the Fourth International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development” in Dushanbe from 25 to 28 May, bringing together more than 2,500 participants from governments, international organisations and financial institutions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Kazakhstan late on Wednesday for an unprecedented second state visit to the country in two years. He will gift Astana four Siberian tigers during the trip, as Moscow attempts to bolster its relationship with its closest partner in Central Asia.
The visit by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Armenia marks one of the clearest signs yet of Washington’s growing interest in the South Caucasus.
Tehran has sent a senior delegation to Qatar for indirect talks on a possible peace deal with Washington amid rising tensions following a U.S. air strike on an Iranian island in the Strait of Hormuz.
Japan and the United Nations Development Programme are launching a $3 million environmental project in Kazakhstan to support the Caspian Sea and improve water monitoring, amid growing concern over falling sea levels and risks to regional trade routes.
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