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US announces $327 million in new humanitarian aid to Afghans
The United States will provide nearly $327 million in new humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and Afghans in neighboring countries, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday.
This funding includes nearly $119 million through the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration and nearly $208 million through the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, Blinken said in a statement.
The new funding brings the total US humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan and neighboring countries to more than $1.1 billion since the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) takeover one year ago in August 2021.
The assistance will support the humanitarian response in Afghanistan and neighboring countries through international humanitarian organizations. It will provide emergency cash, shelter, healthcare, and reintegration assistance to internally displaced persons and returnees; as well as protection, life-saving reproductive and maternal health, and gender-based violence prevention and response services.
The funding will also support multisectoral assistance to Afghans in neighboring countries, including health and nutrition services to Afghan refugees and host communities in Pakistan, particularly COVID-19 screening and vaccination services.
“Our commitment to the people of Afghanistan is enduring. We provide assistance to people in need, regardless of their gender, race, sexual orientation, disability status, religion, or profession,” Blinken said. “We welcome the contributions of other donors toward this international response and urge others to generously support Afghanistan’s humanitarian needs and maintain support for the Afghan people.”
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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