The Norwegian Refugee Council has announced that it will suspend its humanitarian activities in Afghanistan and 19 other countries due to the suspension of foreign aid from the United States.
In a statement published on its X account, the organization stated that it has been forced to lay off its staff in Afghanistan and other countries. The Norwegian Refugee Council warned that without an immediate solution to meet the financial needs of the organization, it may have to halt its U.S.-funded humanitarian programs by the end of this month.
The statement reads: “For the first time in history, we are forced to suspend vital and urgent relief work for hundreds of thousands of people in nearly 20 countries affected by war, natural disasters, and displacements.”
The Norwegian Refugee Council emphasized that this action will have serious consequences for people in crisis around the world.
The organization also mentioned the suspension of some of its aid in Ukraine and the ongoing crisis in Sudan.
The statement noted that the organization has laid off hundreds of its staff worldwide, including both male and female employees in Afghanistan.
The Norwegian Refugee Council stated: “We currently have millions of dollars in delayed payments owed to the U.S. government. Without an immediate solution, we may have to stop programs funded by the United States by the end of February.”
The Norwegian Refugee Council also acknowledged the U.S. government’s authority to conduct reviews of foreign aid but called for urgent action from the U.S. to prevent disruptions in humanitarian assistance.
Recently, the U.S. State Department suspended its foreign aid, stating that the U.S. government needs to focus more on its national interests.
The Norwegian Refugee Council welcomed the exemption for suspended U.S. aid for life-saving assistance but added that this exemption does not apply to their council.
This organization has called for continued financial support from the United States.
This comes as Jan Egeland, the head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, previously visited Afghanistan and warned about the humanitarian crisis in the country.
