Antonio Guterres says Afghans ‘facing humanitarian calamity', grants $ 20mn funds for aid

The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on September 13 said that the “people of Afghanistan are facing a humanitarian calamity” and convened a high-level Ministerial Meeting on the Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan on Monday. According to the statement by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) published on Monday, the meeting highlighted the crucial needs in the war-ravaged nation. It also underscored “the urgent funding support and actions" which are required by global partners to support the Afghan nationals especially "at the time of need."

Guterres said on Twitter that even before the events of the Taliban taking control of the country last month, "Afghans were experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world." He noted that at this time, "one in three Afghans do not know where their next meal will come from" before saying that the poverty rate in the country is "spiralling" and basic public services are also on the edge of "collapse."

The UN chief also noted that scores of people were "forced to flee their homes." Meanwhile, Guterres said that the war-torn country is tackling severe draught which is also the second to hit the country in just four years. He said that several people "could run out of food by the end of this month" especially when winter is just around the corner. "And, of course, COVID-19 continues to stalk the country,” he added in the speech to the high-level meeting.

Guterres announced $20 mn from UN CERF

Further, in the speech, the UN Secretary-General announced a $20 million allocation from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (UN CERF) to support the humanitarian operations in Afghanistan after the Taliban control. He also called on the members to help and “boost humanitarian access, including the airbridge with Kabul and other hubs in Afghanistan.” The UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) established an airbridge from Islamabad into Kandahar, Mazar and Herat, with operations up and running since the end of August.

(Image: AP)