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World ‘failing Afghanistan’ during major locust outbreak: aid group
A global aid organization warned Monday that a large-scale plague of locusts is ravaging northern Afghanistan and could destroy 1.2 million metric tons of wheat, almost one-quarter of the country’s annual harvest.
Save the Children said eight million people in Afghanistan have been cut off from food aid in the past two months.
“The escalating situation threatens to plunge millions of people into worsening levels of hunger,” Save the Children said in a statement.
The locust outbreak has come as some 15.3 million people – one-third of the population – are projected to face crisis levels of hunger over the next five months, including 3.2 children, the group said.
It said that the Moroccan locust, one of the world’s most damaging plant pests, has affected eight of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces.
The locusts have the potential to destroy 1.2 million tons of wheat, approximately one-quarter of the country’s annual harvest at a cost of $480 million.
Without an urgent injection of funding, the country could spiral into famine-like conditions and aid organizations are facing a $2.2 billion shortfall in humanitarian funding to support Afghanistan’s most vulnerable children and families, especially women and girls, the group said.
“The international community owes a debt and has a moral obligation to support Afghan children, women, and families at this dire time. Children are the most affected by this crisis and millions will suffer unless humanitarian assistance is immediately increased,” Arshad Malik, the Save the Children country director, said.
“However, humanitarian aid alone is not a quick fix. The underlying drivers of hunger including resuming development aid and support to the country’s ailing economy will also need to be addressed,” he added.
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Pakistan: Afghanistan’s India ties a bilateral issue, but its soil must not be used against us
Following first phone call between foreign ministers of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) and India, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said on Friday that Islamabad refrains from commenting on the bilateral relations of other states.
“Afghanistan is a sovereign, independent country. We do not comment on what kind of relations it wants to pursue with other countries. It is Afghanistan’s sovereign right,” the spokesperson said in a press conference.
However, the spokesperson emphasized that regardless of the nature of Afghanistan’s relations with any third country, Pakistan expects IEA to ensure that Afghanistan’s soil is not used against Pakistan.
Last Thursday, for the first time, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar held phone talks with IEA’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
Acting Justice Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), Abdul Hakim Sharei, left for Russia on Saturday to participate in the 13th St. Petersburg International Legal Forum.
The three-day conference will kick off on coming Monday and will be attended by ministers of justice, judicial officials and legal experts from various countries.
Acting Minister of Justice of the Islamic Emirate will deliver a speech on the nature of laws, the need for reforms in international law, ensuring justice and the role of the Islamic Emirate in international relations, the Ministry of Justice said in a statement.
Acting Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) Amir Khan Muttaqi on Saturday left Kabul for Iran to attend Tehran Dialogue Forum.
Hafiz Zia Ahmad, deputy spokesman for the foreign ministry, said that the delegation accompanying Muttaqi also includes Abdul Latif Nazari, deputy minister of economy.
In addition to participating in the Tehran Dialogue Forum, Muttaqi is scheduled to meet with his Iranian counterpart and other high-ranking officials to discuss bilateral relations.
Tehran Dialogue Forum will be held on May 17-19.
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