The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Afghanistan has received a crucial €13 million (US$15 million) contribution from the European Union to provide emergency assistance to half a million vulnerable people over the next three months. With this support, WFP will distribute 2,500 metric tons of food to families experiencing severe hunger, €9 million in cash for food to enable households to purchase supplies locally, and 750 metric tons of specialized nutritious food to treat life-threatening malnutrition in more than 85,000 children.
EU officials underscored the urgency of the intervention, noting that drought conditions and the approaching harsh Afghan winter are expected to worsen the crisis. François Goemans, head of the EU’s humanitarian aid office in Afghanistan, stressed that hunger and malnutrition are devastating families, with the most vulnerable women, men, and children at the greatest risk.
Afghanistan is currently experiencing an alarming rise in child malnutrition, with 3.5 million children affected in 2025—an increase of half a million compared to the previous year. This equates to one child becoming malnourished every ten seconds. John Aylieff, WFP Country Director in Afghanistan, highlighted that the surge comes amid reductions in emergency food assistance and the forced return of Afghans from neighboring countries, worsening the strain on already fragile households.
Since 2021, the EU has provided more than €290 million to WFP operations in Afghanistan, making it one of the agency’s top five donors in 2025. This sustained support has been instrumental in delivering life-saving food assistance across the country, enabling WFP to respond to growing needs during a period of deepening humanitarian crisis.
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