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WFP to increase flow of aid to Afghanistan via Uzbekistan
Construction of new warehouse facilities has started at the United Nations World Food Programme’s (WFP) Logistics Hub in Termez, Uzbekistan, and once completed the facility will allow for an increase and improved flow of humanitarian food to Afghanistan, WFP said on Tuesday.
“We are happy that the United Nations is expanding their warehouse capacity here in Termez,” Uzbekistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan Ismatullah Irgashev said. “At a time when two thirds of the population of Afghanistan rely on humanitarian assistance to survive, it is our duty as the international community to stand by their side.”
WFP’s existing Logistics Hub in Termez has served as a trans-shipment point for WFP’s Afghanistan operations since 2021. WFP plans to add an additional 8,000 square meters to the current 14,500 square meter warehouse capacity in the upcoming months. This will increase WFP’s total storage capacity in Termez by more than half, the agency said in a statement.
“With the support of the Government of Uzbekistan, more than 1,000 metric tons of food are crossing the border from Uzbekistan to Afghanistan each day,” said Hsiao-Wei Lee, Country Director for WFP Afghanistan.
“In the upcoming months, this increase to our warehouse capacity will greatly facilitate our ability to serve the 20 million Afghans currently in need of food assistance. While our partners and donors have been incredibly generous with their contributions, we still need an additional $1.5 billion to reach all the people we have planned to serve.”
In Afghanistan in 2022, WFP reached 23 million people, distributed 1.1 million metric ton of food and $325 million in cash transfers. Of the 23 million people assisted, 11.6 million were women and 12.3 million were children. WFP said it injects an average of $55 million per month into the local economy.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced on Tuesday the release of American citizen Dennis Coyle from prison.
According to the ministry, Coyle’s mother had written to the leader of the Islamic Emirate demanding amnesty and the release of her son on the occasion of Eid. The Supreme Court considered time served sufficient and decided to release him.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this action was carried out on the basis of humanitarianism and good faith, and it believes that such measures can strengthen trust between countries. The ministry also expressed hope that both countries, in the future, can find solutions to remaining issues through mutual understanding and constructive dialogue.
The Islamic Emirate also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the United Arab Emirates in this matter.
Separately, for Coyle’s release, an American delegation, including Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, met on Tuesday with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate.
The meeting was also attended by Saif Mohammed Al-Ketbi, Ambassador of the UAE in Kabul, and a member of the prisoner’s family.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Muttaqi stated that the Islamic Emirate has not detained any citizen of any country to achieve political objectives; rather, detentions were the result of legal violations, and individuals were released after completing judicial procedures.
At the meeting, Khalilzad praised the action of the Islamic Emirate and emphasized the importance of continuing discussions on all issues between the two countries, expressing hope for further progress in the future.
Muttaqi also stressed that Kabul and the UAE should provide standard consular services to their citizens, and that the Afghan government is fully prepared in this regard.
He thanked Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for their constructive role in facilitating the release of the prisoner and referred to the UAE as a close friend of Afghanistan.
Earlier, Muttaqi had also praised the role of the State of Qatar in facilitating information exchange between the Islamic Emirate and the prisoner’s family.
Additionally, the UAE ambassador expressed his country’s readiness to play a role in humanitarian institutions and called such developments beneficial for everyone.
The United Kingdom has announced an additional £3 million (AFN 257 million) in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, aimed at supporting people affected by natural disasters and other shocks.
Richard Lindsay, in a post on X, said the funding will be used to provide essential nutrition supplies and related support to vulnerable populations.
The new allocation brings the UK’s total bilateral assistance to Afghanistan for the current financial year to £154 million (AFN 13.18 billion).
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