JCPOA Nuclear Deal Explained as U.S. Nears Potential New Iran Peace Agreement 
FBI Faces Historic Security Challenge Ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup 
France Hosts Israeli-Palestinian Peace Conference to Revive Two-State Solution 
US Plans NATO Force Reduction in Europe Amid Defense Burden Dispute 
Trump Says Iran Peace Deal Near as Markets Rally and Oil Prices Fall 
U.S.-Iran Peace Talks Continue Despite Escalating Military Strikes 
DOJ Sues Virginia Over Law Enforcement Mask Ban 
Trump Administration Plans Deportation of Iranian Migrants to Central African Republic Under New Third-Country Deal 
Carney and Macron Strengthen Canada-France Defense Ties Amid US Trade Uncertainty 
Trump Signals Opposition to USMCA Renewal as U.S. Reviews Trade Relations with Canada and Mexico 
South Korea Ballot Shortage Sparks Protests, Election Fraud Claims, and Calls for Rerun 
KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun Defends Taiwan-China Engagement During U.S. Visit 
Venezuela Deploys Troops to Crack Down on Illegal Gold Mining Amid Push for Foreign Investment 
South Korea Ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol Sentenced to 30 Years Over Martial Law Plot 
Kremlin Says New EU Sanctions Won’t Hurt Russian Banks 
North Korea Slams U.S. Missile Sale to South Korea, Warns of Rising Regional Tensions 
Afghanistan is facing a humanitarian and economic crisis that could potentially worsen the longer no aid is brought to the country. The nation may see some relief in the days and weeks to come as donors are set to allow the transfer of $280 million in aid to Afghanistan.
Reuters reports that donors, including the United States, are expected to support the transfer of $280 million in aid from the Afghan Reconstruction Trust Fund to two aid agencies to help Afghanistan through its worsening humanitarian and economic crisis. The funds would be diverted to the World Food Program and UNICEF from the frozen trust fund, according to people familiar with the matter. They added that no objections were made so far in allowing the transfer to proceed.
The money would be used to bring food security and health programs to Afghanistan. Any of the 31 donors to the ARTF could block the transfer by filing an objection. The US is the largest donor, and a spokesperson from the US State Department said that the US would not object to the transfer.
This follows a report by the UN warning that around 23 million Afghans are facing severe hunger, with around nine million of them at risk of experiencing famine, especially in the coming winter months.
The World Bank, which administers the ARTF, previously announced that it would be allowing the transfer of aid to Afghanistan earlier this month. The US and other donors to the ARTF cut off financial aid that Afghanistan became dependent on during the nearly 20 years of conflict. Over $9 billion of Afghanistan’s hard currency assets are currently frozen.
More countries such as Uzbekistan are now urging others to provide assistance to Afghanistan. The country’s government is keeping its infrastructure open in order for its international partners and allies to deliver aid to Afghanistan. The administration of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyovev has allowed UN agencies and humanitarian groups to use their airports, railways, territory, and the Uzbek-Afghan Friendship Bridge that marks the Afghan border.
“To prevent a humanitarian crisis there, not words but concrete steps are necessary to assist the Afghan people,” said Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov in a statement last week.
