OCHA: Taliban Interference Biggest Obstacle to Humanitarian Aid in Afghanistan

DIDPress: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) released a report claiming the greatest obstacle to delivering humanitarian aid in Afghanistan is the direct interference of the Taliban interim government.

The agency emphasized that Taliban interventions represent the primary barrier to effective humanitarian operations in Afghanistan.

According to the report, in April alone, there were 44 documented cases of Taliban interference in aid efforts, accounting for 73% of all operational restrictions. These interventions included delays in distributing aid, interference in the hiring processes of aid workers, dictating aid recipients, and restricting the role and participation of women in humanitarian activities.

Such interference not only disrupts aid delivery but also jeopardizes access to vital assistance for millions of people in need, warned OCHA.

The UN humanitarian coordination office called on Afghanistan’s ruling authorities to refrain from political and administrative interference in humanitarian affairs and to respect the principles of neutrality, independence, and effectiveness in aid  efforts.