The EU has released €61 million ($64 million) in humanitarian aid to address the needs of vulnerable people in Afghanistan, as well as refugees in neighboring Pakistan.

A total of €60 million are allocated for humanitarian organizations working in Afghanistan and another €1 million, for those in Pakistan.

The new funding will help address the food crisis in Afghanistan, where nearly half of the population is acutely food insecure. It will also serve to cover other needs such as shelter, protection, health care, nutrition and water and sanitation, notably for the population affected by the string of earthquakes that hit the west of the country in October.

Part of the funding will also support Afghan refugees returning to Afghanistan, prioritizing protection monitoring, and immediate support in host communities.

This new assistance comes in addition to the nearly €94 million in humanitarian aid already allocated this year for Afghanistan, including the €4.5 million package approved following the recent earthquakes. EU humanitarian aid in Afghanistan is solely channeled through humanitarian partners on the ground.

Janez Lenarčič, Commissioner for Crisis Management, said: “The humanitarian needs of Afghan people remain very worrying, even more following the devastating earthquakes. The EU acted immediately after the disaster with a first emergency aid package, and now we add a substantial increase in funding to help the Afghan population still struggling in the affected areas but also across the country, as well as those that are still in Pakistan or returning.”