DID Press: UN World Food Programme (WFP) says the cost of delivering food assistance to Afghanistan has nearly tripled following rising regional instability and disruptions in global energy markets.
According to WFP officials, the escalation in oil prices—linked to heightened tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran—has significantly increased transport expenses and complicated humanitarian supply routes.
John Aylieff, WFP Country Director in Afghanistan, told The Guardian that security disruptions have forced aid shipments, including fortified biscuits, to take longer alternative routes. Instead of direct supply chains, some deliveries now pass through seven countries via Dubai, adding nearly three weeks to transit times.
He warned that these delays are directly affecting child nutrition and increasing the risk of hunger-related health crises. “Afghan children are going hungry because of these disruptions,” he said.
Humanitarian organizations, including the International Rescue Committee (IRC), are calling for the establishment of a dedicated humanitarian corridor through the Strait of Hormuz to ensure faster and more cost-effective delivery of essential supplies.
Aid agencies caution that if the situation persists, millions of Afghans could face worsening food insecurity and reduced access to critical medical assistance, deepening the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.