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EU launches humanitarian projects in Afghanistan worth over $300 million
In a bid to address the major humanitarian crisis Afghanistan is facing, the European Union has launched projects worth €268.3 million ($304 million) that focusses on maintaining education, sustaining livelihoods, and protecting public health.
According to a statement issued by the UN, the funding is being channelled through United Nations agencies working in Afghanistan and benefits the Afghan population directly.
Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, said: “I am pleased that we are addressing basic human needs and supporting livelihoods under the clear parameters set out by the Foreign Affairs Council.
“The projects focus on health, nutrition, clean water, sanitation, and education, in particular for women and girls. We are also supporting income generating activities, food security and local markets.
“We have reacted quickly to alleviate the suffering of the population and preserve a future for the Afghan people, especially women and youth,” said Urpilainen.
Seven EU projects, worth a total of €186 million, support health, education and livelihoods for Afghans and will be implemented through United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).
A €50 million project implemented by UNICEF will provide around 194,000 public teachers nationwide with emergency cash support of around €90 per month for two months during the harsh winter time, the statement read.
Another €11 million project will ensure the provision of food at schools and to take home for boys and girls in primary school. For girls in secondary level, the EU will also support cash transfers for their households conditional on girls’ school attendance.
A €10 million project will improve testing, surveillance and hospital facilities to deal with COVID-19. This will be done in conjunction with the World Health Organization while a €25 million project will mitigate the health and nutrition effects of COVID-19 on women and children and will be done through UNICEF.
In addition to this, a €25 million project, implemented by UNICEF and the WHO, will allow for polio vaccine procurement and other measures and working with the WFP, the EU will increase food security, of €50 million, for around 450,000 persons.
Also, working with UNDP, a €15 million project will allow around 23,000 entrepreneurs, mainly women, to receive technical and/or financial support to develop and expand their businesses.
According to the statement, the EU has launched another five projects for a total of €79 million to address forced displacement and migration in Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and Central Asia.
The Afghan Children on the Move project will get €15 million; support to Afghan refugees and displaced people in Pakistan, Iran, Central Asia and Afghanistan will total €34 million; and a project for displaced Afghans in Pakistan, Iran, Central Asia, and Afghanistan will total €15 million.
Support will also be given to vulnerable Afghans and host communities in Iran through a project, with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), totalling €14 million.
A €1 million project to enhance the capacities of Surkhandarya region in Uzbekistan to educate and train Afghan citizens will also be carried out and the EU will also increase its support to Afghan Human Rights Defenders at risk and Civil Society Organisations with two projects worth €3.3 million.
According to the statement, more projects in all these sectors are due to be launched in the coming months.
The new projects launched are a key milestone as part of the overall €1 billion EU support package announced by President Ursula von der Leyen in October last year.
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Afghanistan condemns drone attack near UAE nuclear power plant
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has expressed deep concern over rising tensions in the region and condemned recent drone attacks targeting civilian facilities in the United Arab Emirates, particularly the Barakah nuclear power plant.
In a statement released on Monday, the ministry called on all parties involved in the ongoing conflict to exercise restraint and caution, warning against further escalation of violence in the region.
The ministry emphasized the importance of respecting international principles and responsibilities, urging all sides to avoid actions that could intensify the crisis. It said ongoing disputes should be resolved through dialogue and peaceful means.
The UAE said Sunday that a fire broke out in an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah nuclear power plant after it was struck by a drone.
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Denmark contributes over $5 million to Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund
Denmark has donated more than $5 million to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund to support urgent relief efforts and assist vulnerable communities across the country.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the new funding will help finance emergency humanitarian programs and expand access to critical assistance for people affected by ongoing crises in Afghanistan.
According to OCHA, the contribution will strengthen the delivery of essential services and support continuing humanitarian operations aimed at assisting millions of Afghans facing severe hardship.
The agency warned that Afghanistan’s humanitarian situation remains extremely fragile, with millions of people still in urgent need of food aid, healthcare, and livelihood support.
OCHA also thanked donor countries for their continued financial contributions, stressing that sustained international assistance remains vital for maintaining humanitarian operations throughout the country.
The United Nations estimates that nearly 22 million people in Afghanistan could require humanitarian assistance in 2026, as poverty and food insecurity continue to affect large parts of the population.
Humanitarian organizations have further warned that the mass return and deportation of Afghan migrants from Pakistan and Iran are placing additional strain on Afghanistan’s already overstretched public services and aid systems.
International agencies have repeatedly cautioned that shrinking global aid budgets could further worsen conditions for millions of Afghans who depend on emergency humanitarian support.
The UN has previously launched a $1.71 billion humanitarian response plan for Afghanistan, describing the country as one of the world’s largest ongoing humanitarian crises.
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Afghanistan, China discuss Wakhan Corridor cooperation and future infrastructure projects
The completion of the Wakhan Corridor road has now established a land link between the two countries, while remaining construction work on the route is continuing at a rapid pace.
Afghanistan and China have discussed expanding development cooperation and infrastructure projects, with a focus on the Wakhan Corridor road linking the two countries, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development said.
According to the ministry, Acting Minister Abdul Latif Mansoor met with China’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, Zhao Xing, and his delegation in Kabul to review ongoing cooperation and future development initiatives.
During the meeting, Zhao expressed satisfaction over the completion of the Wakhan Corridor road project in Badakhshan province, saying China has implemented major infrastructure and development projects in Afghanistan to high standards.
He said Beijing intends to continue future projects in close coordination with the Islamic Emirate and reaffirmed China’s commitment to ongoing cooperation and development assistance for Afghanistan.
Minister Mansoor welcomed the Chinese delegation and thanked China for its continued support and collaboration with Afghanistan.
He said Afghanistan has historically maintained land and trade links with neighboring countries, but China had remained the only neighboring state without a direct land connection to Afghanistan.
According to Mansoor, the completion of the Wakhan Corridor road has now established a land link between the two countries, while remaining construction work on the route is continuing at a rapid pace.
The minister added that the road project has been widely welcomed by the Afghan public and called on China to further expand cooperation in infrastructure and development projects, particularly in remote and underserved areas.
The ministry said both sides emphasized the importance of continued coordination and cooperation at the conclusion of the meeting.
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