Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan continues to face a serious and worsening humanitarian crisis. It is affecting over half of the population, with 19.7 million facing acute food insecurity. This is now one of the world's most severe food security crisis. 93% of households are reporting they do not have enough to eat. People continue turning to drastic measures to feed their families with 63% of households resorting to crisis coping strategies. Over 6 million people have been internally displaced and millions of children are out of school. The combination of food and other household prices rising and the reduction in economic opportunities in Afghanistan will lead to a significant increase in poverty rates in Afghanistan.

On 11 January 2022, the UN launched an appeal for $4.4 billion for 2022, the largest humanitarian appeal on record, reflecting the magnitude of the humanitarian challenge ahead. The UK was at the forefront in responding to this. On 30 March, the Foreign Secretary announced the UK pledge of £286 million for 2022/2023, the second highest commitment to the Humanitarian Response Plan for Afghanistan to date. This commitment reflects the UK's enduring commitment to the people of Afghanistan.