UNITED NATIONS: The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Tuesday launched a $1.71 billion humanitarian needs and response plan for Afghanistan in 2026, which is expected to remain one of the world's largest humanitarian crises next year.
In 2026, an estimated 21.9 million people will require humanitarian assistance, a 4 per cent decrease from 2025, and 17.4 million people are projected to face acute food insecurity, including 4.7 million in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency), according to OCHA.
The office said that UN humanitarian partners will prioritize 17.5 million people for assistance in 2026, around 80 per cent of those in need, through a coordinated response costing 1.71 billion dollars. Assistance will focus on life-saving and protective interventions, including food, shelter, healthcare, nutrition, safe water, hygiene and multipurpose cash support, Xinhua news agency reported.