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Afghanistan, UN Appeal for $430m to Assist 2.8m Vulnerable Afghans
The Afghan government and UNOCHA (The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) have appealed for $430 million this year to help the most vulnerable Afghans across the country.
The money will be used to assist 2.8 million people displaced by conflict or natural disasters with emergency shelters and food, to treat patients injured by conflict, to feed malnourished children or assist vulnerable families returning home after years in Iran or Pakistan.
“Life of hundreds of vulnerable children, women and men will be in danger without humanitarian assistance,” said Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah. “The country is being in war, last year more than 400 thousand people have been displaced.”
Abdullah, meanwhile, said that addressing the human rights situation is the responsibility of the government and not its policy.
Armed clashes in the past year were the highest in a decade and civilian casualties remained near record levels. More than two million people were directly affected by the conflict last year, 448,000 of whom had to abandon their homes to save their lives. More than 500,000 people arrived in Afghanistan in 2017, many of them after seeking refuge in Iran, Pakistan or other countries.
“In many parts of Afghanistan, violence continues unabated and people need support more than ever,” said Toby Lanzer, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan. “Today I call on international donors to stand by 2.8 million people whose lives have been ruined by conflict or natural disaster, and to help people returning to Afghanistan from neighbouring countries.”
The response plan puts forward activities of more than 150 humanitarian partners – national and international humanitarian NGOs and the United Nations – delivering assistance to families and communities in need wherever they can be reached, despite difficult conditions including increasing attacks on aid workers.
“The Humanitarian Response Plan is a crucial part of the response to the human suffering and the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan,” said Tobias Thyberg, the Ambassador of Sweden to Afghanistan. “After decades of conflict, we may not abandon people and saving lives with immediate assistance must remain our highest priority.”
This comes as Afghanistan had its appeal for $410 million in assistance for vulnerable people in 2017 which has received about 77 percent of the funds so far.
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Afghanistan Humanitarian Trust Fund report highlights problems tackled
Mohammad Jamal Alsaati, Special Advisor to IsDB President and IsDB Coordinator for Afghanistan Humanitarian Trust Fund (AHTF), said this week that 14 projects, signed in 2023, have materialized at a total cost of $35.35 million.
He said in a statement issued Sunday that of this, $24.14 was from contributions from AHTF with a further $12.21 million provided by implementing partners and other international organizations.
Alsaati said all the services provided have created job and capacity building opportunities for the people of Afghanistan and that as of March 2024, pledges to the fund totaled almost $35 million, with more funding expected.
Alsaati’s comments were in a statement issued by the Islamic Development Bank, (IsDB), after it released the first comprehensive report on the achievements of the AHTF.
The report highlights the coordinated efforts by the IsDB, its partners, and stakeholders towards “Promoting Self Reliance and Resilience” in Afghanistan.
The AHTF’s mission is to provide initial humanitarian aid but then to prioritize development and self-reliance to move beyond emergency assistance – promoting reconstruction, empowerment and sustainable development.
IsDB President and Group Chairman, Muhammad Al Jasser meanwhile said following the release of the report that after receiving generous contributions, the AHTF “sprung into action, delivering essential aid to Afghanistan’s most vulnerable communities.”
He said the fund was able to tackle food insecurity, offer child nutrition programs, provide healthcare, innovative education, clean water, sanitation and hygiene services.
“Our projects are making a tangible difference on the ground,” Jasser said.
The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Hissein Brahim Taha also reacted to the report and said: “We are very pleased to see several humanitarian and development-focused projects are underway in Afghanistan – driven by the IsDB in collaboration with its regional and global partners.
“But much work still lies ahead, so we look forward to further help and support from our Member States, in addition to continued financial assistance for the AHTF from international aid and relief agencies,” said Taha.
The fund was established at a Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC on 19th December 2021.
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Baradar visits Pashdan Dam, as work on project resumes
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, deputy prime minister for economic affairs, has said the Pashdan Dam in Herat province is a key national project that the Islamic Emirate is committed to completing as soon as possible.
Speaking at an event marking the resumption of construction on this hydroelectric dam, which was started more than 10 years ago, Baradar said building dams was a priority for the Islamic Emirate.
Once complete the Pashdam Dam will not only generate electricity but also irrigate about 65,000 hectares of agricultural land, in turn providing work to thousands of people.
The dam will cost an estimated $117 million once finished and according to officials, at least 85% of work has been completed.
Officials expect the dam to be operational by the end of this solar year.
The construction of Pashdan Dam is being carried out by a domestic company in cooperation with an Azerbaijani company.
Engineers said the dam will mostly be used for agriculture purposes and for potable water. They also said about 73 kms of canals will be built to irrigate land.
This dam will store 54 million cubic meters of water. Currently, about 400 people are employed to work on the project.
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Eight dead in rain across Afghanistan over past four days
Mullah Janan Saiq, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Natural Disasters, says that eight people have died, three people have been injured and 20 hectares of agricultural land have been destroyed as a result of the rains and floods in the past four days.
Saiq also said that as a result of the recent rains in the country, 140 houses were damaged or destroyed and 20 kilometers of roads were also destroyed across the country.
According to him, 30 cows were also lost.
“Fortunately, as a result of the recent rains, the water level in the country has increased, the underground water has been strengthened and the farmers are happy,”
he said.
According to him, the Ministry of Natural Disasters has directed its directorates in the provinces to use all their facilities to help the victims.
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