Afghanistan remains one of the most protracted humanitarian emergencies in the world, characterized by escalating conflict and recurrent natural disasters: in 2018, according to the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) (2018-2021), an estimated 3.3 million people (approx. 10% of the population) are in need of life-saving assistance, including 2.1 million in areas of highest severity.
Switzerland contributes to the humanitarian response in the country through the allocation of core funding to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the United Nations (UN) (the World Food Programme (WFP), and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)). Switzerland has recently expended its humanitarian engagement in the country: in 2016, it has started a multi-year contribution to the OCHA Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF), and in 2017 a contribution to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) post-arrival emergency assistance to undocumented returnees.
