Aid assistance from the United States remains unfunded following the earthquake in Afghanistan, as confirmed by confidential sources.
In the aftermath of a devastating earthquake that has claimed over 2,200 lives in Afghanistan, the United States has yet to authorize emergency aid for the war-torn country.
The US was the largest aid donor to Afghanistan until April 2023, when the Trump administration ended virtually all aid, amounting to $562 million. The reason given for this decision was that humanitarian groups receiving US funds had paid $10.9 million in taxes, fees, and duties to the Taliban.
The Taliban government, which has ruled since 2021 and is recognized internationally only by Russia, has not yet granted approval for emergency aid following the earthquake. This has resulted in aid agencies being forced to reduce their footprint due to funding cuts, leaving essential health and nutrition services for millions halted.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has requested permission from the US to send $105,000 worth of US-funded medical supplies following the earthquake. However, the IRC needs Washington's permission because the supplies were funded by an unrelated US grant that the Trump administration had since canceled.
The IRC's Vice President of policy and advocacy, Kelly Razzouk, stated that the supplies are currently stuck in storage. Stephen Rodriguez, the representative in Afghanistan for the UN Development Programme, has expressed concern over the situation, stating that donations have come from Britain, South Korea, Australia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, and other countries.
The White House has considered the issue but decided against reversing the policy of ending aid to Afghanistan. A declaration of humanitarian need, the first step in authorizing US emergency relief, has not been approved as of Friday. The United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher stated that the Afghan earthquake exposes the cost of shrinking resources on vital humanitarian work.
State Department officials had considered recommendations for US disaster aid for Afghanistan, but as of now, the United States has not authorized emergency aid for the country. The State Department extended "heartfelt condolences" to Afghanistan following the earthquake but has not announced any plans for emergency aid.
Far more aid is needed, according to Stephen Rodriguez. Beyond the loss of life, basic infrastructure and livelihoods have been destroyed in the earthquake. The lack of emergency aid from the US leaves millions of Afghans in dire need of assistance.
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