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UNHCR chief fears long war in Ukraine will worsen region’s humanitarian disaster
A protracted war in Ukraine, which appears to be a growing possibility, could lead to years of disastrous humanitarian consequences, says United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.
“In our experience as a humanitarian agency, these are the wars that are the most difficult to deal with in terms of humanitarian consequences,” Grandi said in a CBC interview on Sunday.
According to UNHCR figures, nearly 4.4 million Ukrainians have fled their country since the Russian invasion began six weeks ago. That’s about 10 per cent of the country’s total population.
“It was like an ocean of people, a river of people moving out of Ukraine into neighbouring countries,” Grandi said of the exodus.
“The most heartbreaking scenes were the separations between men and their families because men were staying behind to fight. And I had never seen anything like this.”
Most Ukrainian refugees have fled to neighbouring Poland, which has struggled to cope with the sudden and massive wave of people in need of shelter, health care and other basic services.
The UNHCR recently opened a temporary office in Kraków to help that city, which has taken in some 150,000 Ukrainians.
Grandi told CBC Europe’s response to the crisis demonstrates that the continent has the ability to welcome refugees, if not always the desire.
“Now the U.S. is back with a big program, which is great, but if it hadn’t been for Canada staying the course on resettlement … we would have maybe lost the capacity to do this for many vulnerable people. And that deserves glowing words.”
Grandi also noted a shift in the crisis facing Afghanistan. He said humanitarian agencies are now focusing largely on ensuring people still in the country can live safely, rather than facilitating more departures.
He said international groups must pressure the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to improve its stance on humanitarian issues, even in the face of recent setbacks — such as the move to once again ban girls from attending high school.
“The response to that must be continuous engagement,” Grandi said.
“We can’t let Afghanistan go because if Afghanistan collapses as a state … then we will have another colossal humanitarian emergency on our hands.”
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Afghanistan received more than $11 billion in humanitarian aid over the past five years
Afghanistan has received more than $11 billion in humanitarian assistance since the Islamic Emirate returned to power in August 2021, according to United Nations figures cited by the BBC.
Despite the substantial aid, the gap between humanitarian needs and available funding remains wide, with the United Nations warning that millions of Afghans continue to require assistance.
The decline in international funding, a growing number of people in need and the return of millions of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries have added pressure to the country’s humanitarian situation.
Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis deepened following the collapse of the previous government in August 2021. The depreciation of the national currency, the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs and reductions in some international support programs further strained the economy and living conditions.
UN data shows that Afghanistan received about $5.2 billion in humanitarian assistance in 2021, followed by around $3.8 billion in 2022 and nearly $2 billion in 2023.
For 2024 and 2025, the United Nations appealed for more than $3 billion to address humanitarian needs in Afghanistan. However, funding fell short of the amounts requested.
The assistance has largely been directed toward food, healthcare, support for returnees and other urgent humanitarian needs.
The United Nations continues to classify Afghanistan as one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, stressing that sustained international support remains essential for millions of Afghans who continue to need assistance.
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Afghanistan expresses condolences over deadly Indonesia earthquake
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has expressed deep sorrow over a powerful earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia, killing at least 53 people and forcing around 5,000 others to evacuate.
A magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck Flores Island and surrounding areas on Saturday, blocking roads and triggering landslides, Indonesian authorities said.
In a statement, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveyed its sympathy and condolences to the government and people of Indonesia over the casualties caused by the earthquake.
It also wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the incident.
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Afghan commerce minister meets Uzbek deputy prime minister in Termez
Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, met with Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshed Khojaev in the city of Termez to discuss expanding economic cooperation and joint investment.
The meeting, held on Saturday at the Termez Trade Center, focused on cooperation in the electricity, mining and agriculture sectors, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce said in a statement.
Uzbek officials expressed interest in investing in various sectors in Afghanistan. The Afghan delegation welcomed the interest and emphasized its readiness to create the necessary conditions for expanding economic cooperation and joint investment.
Mohammad Yousuf Wafa, governor of Balkh, and Abdul Ghaffar Bahr, Afghanistan’s ambassador to Tashkent, also attended the meeting.
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