Bruno Lemarchand, Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Afghanistan, stated in a New York briefing that Afghanistan is confronting a severe and escalating humanitarian crisis following five years of Taliban rule. Lemarchand emphasized that widespread legal restrictions and a dramatic reduction in humanitarian funding—from $2 billion three years ago to only $570 million this year—have exacerbated the problems faced by the population. He added that approximately 700 primary healthcare centers across Afghanistan have closed over the past year, severely limiting people’s access to essential health services.