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UNDP appeals for $25 million to support earthquake recovery in Herat
In the wake of the three devastating earthquakes that struck Herat Province between October 7 and 15, 2023, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) on Tuesday issued an urgent appeal for $25 million to support key parts of the recovery plan.
The earthquakes, measuring 6.3 in magnitude, left a trail of destruction affecting 1.6 million people, with over 1,500 deaths, 11,000 injuries, and widespread damage to over 21000 homes and infrastructure – rendering conditions unbearable for communities already grappling with deep poverty and underdevelopment, UNDP said in a statement.
The survivors, mostly women and children, are mainly living in tents, exposed to the cold, and in need of water, health care, food, and proper shelter, the statement said.
The UNDP appeal is part of a larger Herat Earthquake Response Plan developed by the UN Humanitarian Country Team, which needs $93.6 million to assist 114,000 people who are most in need during the winter. UNDP, in collaboration with UN partners and NGOs, has already allocated $3.15 million from its own resources for immediate relief and recovery. However, this is not enough to meet the huge demand for recovery and rebuilding, UNDP said.
“The situation on the ground is desperate and winter is fast approaching. Our goal is to help these communities restore basic infrastructure, especially shelter, and return to normalcy as quickly as possible. We’ve repurposed some of our existing resources so we can start moving quickly, but these resources are just not enough,” Stephen Rodriques, UNDP Resident Representative in Afghanistan, said.
UNDP’s appeal for an additional US$25 million aims to provide transitional and permanent shelter (using owner-driven Community Housing approaches), rebuild basic infrastructure, provide renewable energy particularly for households, schools and health facilities; restore and manage water systems and resources, and create temporary (cash-for-work) and longer-term jobs and livelihood opportunities.
“Amidst many other ongoing crisis globally, Afghanistan finds itself relegated to the periphery of international attention. The country does need assistance. This disaster comes on top of many disasters. Afghanistan has been through four decades of conflict. These quakes hit communities already living in profound poverty, and three out of eight people across the country don’t have adequate access to food. Now we have another disaster of enormous magnitude,” said Rodriques.
He emphasized: “we are appealing to the international community not to lose sight of Afghanistan and the needs of its people, and particularly the people in Herat who have just suffered this devastation.”
Noorullah Noori, Afghanistan’s Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs, held a phone conversation with Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, to discuss bilateral border cooperation.
According to the Iranian news agency IRNA, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening border collaboration, with a particular focus on the ongoing renovation and updating of border markers. They also agreed to accelerate joint technical and legal meetings to enhance coordination.
As part of the agreement, the next meeting of senior border officials from Afghanistan and Iran is scheduled to take place in Iran in 1405 (2026–2027).
The Director General of the OIC Mission in Kabul, Mohammed Saeed Alayyash, met on Sunday with Rolf Dieter Reinhard, Head of the German Liaison Office for Afghanistan in Doha and Acting Chargé d’Affaires of the German Embassy in Afghanistan.
During the discussion, both sides exchanged views on the latest developments in Afghanistan. They focused on the security situation, as well as the humanitarian and economic conditions faced by the Afghan people.
The two officials also reviewed recent political developments and broader challenges in the country, highlighting the need for continued international engagement and support.
The meeting emphasized the importance of ongoing cooperation and coordination between the OIC Mission and the German side in addressing Afghanistan’s challenges and in supporting efforts to promote stability and improve the humanitarian situation.
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Pakistan president claims situation in Afghanistan is ‘similar to or worse than pre-9/11’’
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari has warned that the presence of militant groups in the region poses risks to global peace, and repeated Islamabad’s concerns regarding what it describes as the activities of “terrorist organisations operating from Afghanistan.”
Zardari made the remarks in a statement issued Sunday, as he thanked world leaders for expressing solidarity with Pakistan following the recent attack on an imambargah in Islamabad, which left dozens dead and many others wounded. The incident was claimed by Daesh militant group.
According to the statement from the President’s Secretariat, Zardari said Pakistan remains committed to combating terrorism and stressed that no single country can address the threat alone.
“Pakistan has long maintained that terrorism cannot be confronted by a single country in isolation,” he was quoted as saying.
Citing Pakistan’s experience, he said in the statement that whenever “terrorist groups are allowed space, facilitation or impunity beyond national borders, the consequences are borne by innocent civilians all over the world.”
Zardari further claimed that the situation in Afghanistan under the Islamic Emirate authorities has created conditions “similar to or worse than pre-9/11,” and said this has influenced security developments across the region. IEA has repeatedly rejected such allegations, insisting that Afghan soil is not used against any country.
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