As international aid to Afghanistan continues to decline, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that more than 17 million people in Afghanistan will face severe food insecurity next year.

According to Ansar Press, OCHA stated that 5.2 million of them are in emergency conditions, a figure that has doubled compared to last year.

OCHA added that drought conditions persist, with 12 provinces severely affected, and more than three million people impacted so far.

The agency also pointed to the large-scale return of migrants, noting that in 2025 alone, more than two million Afghans returned from Iran and Pakistan, placing heavy pressure on host communities, basic services, and livelihood resources.

In response to this situation, OCHA announced that humanitarian organizations in 2026 will prioritize assistance for more than 17 million people - approximately 80% of those in need.

The UN humanitarian coordination office said that implementing this plan will require $1.72 billion in funding. Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) says that its relief operations are facing a severe funding shortfall.

Carl Skau, the WFP`s Executive Director, stated that due to the critical lack of funding, the organization has been forced to drastically reduce the scale of its aid operations in Afghanistan.

He said that WFP is now able to assist only two million people instead of 10 million previously.

Skau warned that with the arrival of winter, many children in Afghanistan may lose their lives due to malnutrition and extreme cold.