UN Warns Over 17 Million Afghans Face Deepening Hunger and Humanitarian Crisis in 2026

More than 17 million Afghans are expected to face severe hunger in 2026, as drought, poverty and mass returns strain already limited resources.

The United Nations warns that Afghanistan is heading into another year of deep humanitarian crisis, with millions of people facing hunger, economic hardship and displacement.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 17 million Afghans are expected to experience severe food insecurity in 2026, including 5.2 million already in emergency-level hunger, a figure nearly twice as high as last year.

Humanitarian officials say prolonged drought has sharply worsened living conditions. At least twelve provinces have been severely affected, with more than three million people impacted by water shortages, crop failures and declining agricultural capacity.

OCHA also noted that mass returns of refugees from neighbouring countries have intensified pressure on already fragile local systems. The agency estimates that more than two million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan in 2025, overwhelming basic services, housing, and limited employment opportunities.

In response, UN humanitarian agencies plan to prioritise support for more than 17 million of the most vulnerable people next year, approximately 80 percent of those assessed as needing assistance.

Funding remains a major obstacle. OCHA says its operational plan will require $1.72 billion and warns that without renewed international support, critical aid; including food, medical services and shelter, may be reduced or suspended.

Aid organizations and analysts have urged the international community not to turn away from Afghanistan, describing the situation as one of the world’s most underfunded yet most urgent humanitarian emergencies.

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