By Bibi Amina Hakimi in TOLOnews, Sept 28, 2023
The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan as well as representatives of the UK, China, Pakistan, and Iran called for the continuation of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.
Speaking at the UN Security Council Meeting, the head of UNAMA, Roza Otunbayeva, said that the Afghanistan Humanitarian Response Plan had received US $872 million, approximately only 28 per cent of the $3.2 billion requested.
“Many programmes have already closed due to insufficient funding just as winter is fast approaching and lives are most at risk. This means that 15.2 million Afghans now facing acute food insecurity could be pushed towards famine in the coming months,” Otunbayeva said.
Speaking at the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Afghanistan, the US deputy ambassador to the UN, Robert A. Wood, said that the current Afghan government has created an increasingly difficult operating environment for partners who are aiding the Afghan people.
“The Taliban have created an increasingly difficult operating environment for partners who are staying and delivering life-saving aid to the Afghan people.
Any interference in or diversion of humanitarian aid is totally unacceptable. We continue to expect the Taliban to allow unhindered humanitarian access and the flow of aid, consistent with humanitarian principles,” said Robert A. Wood.
“The UK has contributed over half a billion dollars to address the humanitarian crisis since April 2021 and we call on fellow Member States to step up support where they can,” Barbara Woodward, the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the UN said at the UN meeting.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate said that it does not interfere in the distribution of aid and it asked the international community to continue its aid to the people of Afghanistan.
“The Islamic Emirate does not interfere in the distribution of aid. We ask the humanitarian organizations and international community to provide aid to the people of Afghanistan. And we try to monitor the aid so it is distributed to the people of Afghanistan,” said Abdul Latif Nazari, deputy of the Ministry of Economy.
China’s ambassador to the United Nation once again asked the US to release Afghanistan assets.https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-185295
