The European Union has pledged €161 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, warning that nearly four years after the Taliban’s return to power, the country remains mired in a deep socio-economic and humanitarian crisis.
The announcement came during a two-day meeting in Brussels, where EU officials and international partners assessed the worsening conditions in Afghanistan. The aid package will support food assistance, healthcare, treatment for malnutrition, access to clean drinking water, legal aid, education, and disaster preparedness.
In a statement on Tuesday, the EU confirmed that all aid will be channelled through humanitarian organisations operating inside Afghanistan, in line with international humanitarian principles.
The EU highlighted that around 23 million Afghans are in urgent need of assistance, citing ongoing economic collapse, widespread hunger, and the erosion of basic services as contributing to what it called one of the world’s most severe humanitarian emergencies.
The bloc also raised concerns over the deteriorating human rights situation, especially for women and girls, calling it a key reason for the international community to remain engaged.
The Brussels meeting gathered senior officials from EU institutions, member states, Gulf countries, G7 partners, major donors, the United Nations, the World Bank, and representatives from Afghan and international civil society groups and NGOs.
