MONITORING (SW) – As the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan continues to be of serious concern, the EU has released €61 million in humanitarian aid to address the needs of vulnerable people in the country, as well as refugees in neighbouring Pakistan, said an official statement.
A total of €60 million are allocated for humanitarian organisations working in Afghanistan and another €1 million, for those in Pakistan.
The new funding will help address the food crisis in Afghanistan, where nearly half of the population is acutely food insecure. It will also serve to cover other needs such as shelter, protection, health care, nutrition and water and sanitation, notably for the population affected by the string of earthquakes that hit the west of the country in October, the said.
Part of the funding will also support Afghan refugees returning to Afghanistan, prioritising protection monitoring, and immediate support in host communities.
This new assistance comes in addition to the nearly €94 million in humanitarian aid already allocated this year for Afghanistan, including the €4.5 million package approved following the recent earthquakes. EU humanitarian aid in Afghanistan is solely channelled through humanitarian partners on the ground, it added.
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