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WFP expands school feeding scheme in Afghanistan with help of EU
The European Union is allocating an additional EUR 10 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) for school feeding activities in Afghanistan.
This will allow WFP to expand school feeding into three additional provinces with high levels of food insecurity in primary schools, the organization said Wednesday in a statement.
“Hunger can be a barrier to education. The additional EU funding to our long-standing partner WFP ensures that more children in Afghanistan receive nutritious food. This is essential for them to have the energy and focus they need to learn effectively and stay healthy.
“And if these meals encourage parents to prioritize school attendance, this is benefiting everyone”, said Raffaella Iodice, EU Chargée d’Affaires to Afghanistan.
Thanks to the additional EU funding, WFP will be able to distribute fortified biscuits or locally produced nutritious school snacks to pupils in more than 10,000 schools in the eight provinces of Farah, Ghor, Jawzjan, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Paktika, Uruzgan and Zabul.
In addition, school girls in grades 4 to 6 will receive take-home rations including vegetable oil or cash for their families. In three provinces with especially low enrolment rates for boys, boys in grades 4 to 6 will receive take-home rations. These rations improve the nutrition of the whole family and encourage families to keep children in school.
“WFP in Afghanistan launched its school feeding programme more than two decades ago to link food security and better nutrition with education”, said Hsiao-Wei Lee, WFP Country Director in Afghanistan.
“Last year, WFP supported 1.5 million school-aged children through this programme and the European Union has been a key partner in helping us reach them.”
Expanding the range of in-school meals, WFP will for the first time in Afghanistan test the local production of vegetarian samosas from fortified local ingredients through a network of local bakeries.
A planned 2,000 children will receive two samosas per school day baked with pumpkin, spinach or egg, and potato or soya beans, as a protein-rich and nutritious snack.
In Afghanistan, school feeding activities have had a positive impact on school participation and learning and help families enroll and keep their children in schools.
For poor families globally, the value of meals in schools can be up to one tenth of household income, and several children enrolled in a school can translate into substantial savings for the family.
This latest top-up by the EU follows an earlier contribution of EUR 20.9 million towards WFP’s school feeding programme in Afghanistan for the years 2022 and 2023.
The funding comes at a timely moment and averts WFP having to downsize its school feeding programme this year due to lack of funding.
The United States has warned that the threat posed by terrorist groups, including ISIL-Khorasan (ISIL-K), remains a major concern, with instability continuing to provide opportunities for militant organizations to expand.
Speaking at a UN Security Council briefing on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, Tammy Bruce, Deputy Representative of the United States to the United Nations, said on Wednesday countering ISIL, al-Qaida and their affiliates remains a key priority for Washington.
“These groups continue to exploit instability — as evidenced by al-Qaida’s gains in the Sahel, ISIL’s growing focus on Africa, and the persistent threat from ISIL-K in Afghanistan,” Bruce said.
The remarks come as Afghan authorities have repeatedly rejected claims that terrorist organizations are operating from Afghanistan and said they will not allow the country’s territory to be used against other nations.
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Kuwait fund signs $5 million in humanitarian grants for Afghanistan, Syria
Under the agreements, $2.5 million will be allocated to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund and another $2.5 million to the Syria Humanitarian Fund.
The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) signed two grant agreements worth a combined $5 million with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Thursday to support humanitarian operations in Afghanistan and Syria.
Under the agreements, $2.5 million will be allocated to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund and another $2.5 million to the Syria Humanitarian Fund.
KFAED said the grants will help finance urgent humanitarian programs and projects aimed at addressing critical needs and providing life-saving assistance to vulnerable and affected communities.
The funding will also enable the OCHA-managed humanitarian funds in Afghanistan and Syria to respond more rapidly and flexibly to emergencies, support humanitarian partners on the ground and improve coordination of relief operations.
According to KFAED, the latest agreements reflect Kuwait’s continued commitment to international humanitarian efforts and bring its total contributions to joint projects with OCHA to approximately $16.1 million.
The agreements were signed by KFAED Acting Director General Rashid Al-Bader and OCHA representative in Saudi Arabia Mohammad Zaid.
China has urged Afghan authorities to take resolute action against terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan, warning that such groups continue to pose a serious threat to the country and the wider region.
Speaking at a UN Security Council briefing on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, Sun Lei, Chargé d’Affaires of China’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, said on Wednesday the international community should pay close attention to the counter-terrorism situation in Afghanistan.
Citing a report by the UN Secretary-General, Sun said terrorist organizations based in Afghanistan, including ISIL-Khorasan (Daesh), continue to increase their capability and intent to carry out cross-border attacks.
“China urges the Afghan authorities to honor their counter-terrorism commitments and take resolute action against all terrorist groups based in Afghanistan,” Sun said.
He also called for action against individuals and entities listed by the UN Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee, warning that Afghanistan should not become a breeding ground for terrorism.
The Chinese diplomat said the international community should support Afghanistan in rebuilding its economy and improving people’s livelihoods, arguing that addressing economic challenges can help remove conditions that contribute to the spread of terrorism.
Sun added that China supports greater cooperation between Afghanistan, Central Asian countries, and regional organizations, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, to jointly address cross-border terrorist threats.
The remarks come as the Islamic Emirate has repeatedly denied the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, saying it will not allow Afghan territory to be used against the security of any other country.
US warns of persistent ISIL-K threat in Afghanistan
Kuwait fund signs $5 million in humanitarian grants for Afghanistan, Syria
China urges Afghan authorities to take ‘resolute action’ against terrorist groups
Uzbekistan’s Fergana region strengthens economic ties with Afghanistan
FAO appeals for $38 million to safeguard Afghanistan’s 2027 wheat harvest
Pakistan’s governance system has ‘collapsed’: Mohsin Naqvi
India offers 1,000 online scholarships for Afghan students for 2026-27 academic year
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