Kabul, 8 January 2022 (TDI): The UN staff currently developing humanitarian labor in Afghanistan; warned on Tuesday that the harsh winter is aggravating the situation for the Afghan citizens. Furthermore, the heavy snowfall and the rainstorms have impacted several areas; and this caused disruptions in the Kabul airport.
According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and the UN Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, Afghanistan is expecting further snow and rain in the coming days.
The dire situation in the country worsened with the Taliban takeover in August 2021. Due to the takeover, many countries and international organizations suspended their aid and froze Afghan assets.
SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION FOR AFGHANISTAN
Then the note mentioned that the Security Council adopted a resolution to clear the way for aid to reach Afghans. The aid of the resolution would be to alleviate the Afghans in desperate need of support; and also to prevent those funds from falling into the Taliban’s hands.
The Head of OCHA welcomed that resolution, as it was a milestone decision that will save Afghan lives. Moreover, the note added that the humanitarian partners are in a race against time to deliver aid and supplies to the vulnerable citizens.
According to OCHA, that race is in line with the several commitments to scale up humanitarian operations. Dujarric stated that during December, the UN’s humanitarian partners reached seven million Afghans with relief food supplies.
HUMANITARIAN APPEALS FOR AFGHANISTAN
He then added the other actions that are also underway in Afghanistan, like the provision of winterization support, which includes cash and other items. The note mentioned that in 2021, the donors provided $1.5 billion for two humanitarian appeals. The first one included the 776 million of the $606 million required for the Flash Appeal launched by the Secretary-General.
The second one had 730 million of the $869 million sought in the Humanitarian Response Plan. The International Organization for Migration also expressed its concern for the millions of internally displaced Afghans.
UNHCR AND FAO’S STATEMENTS
Furthermore, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), is scaling up its response to provide timely winterization assistance to the vulnerable displaced families. The note mentioned that the UNHCR is providing ongoing multipurpose cash assistance to meet Afghan immediate needs for warmth, and security, among others.
The agency remarked that to alleviate the dire situation of the Afghans, it is critical to keep providing support. Furthermore, Ezatullah Noori, the national emergency coordinator for the Food and Agriculture Organization in Afghanistan; pointed that Afghanistan is facing the third season of drought in five years.
Noori then warned that without timely support for the agricultural sector, Afghanistan will lose forever that essential pillar for its economy.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS OF THE REACH OF HUMANITARIAN AID
The note remarked that since September 1, the humanitarian partners present in Afghanistan reached 9 million people with food assistance; 201K children with treatment for acute malnutrition, 4M people with healthcare, and 110K people with winterization assistance.
