UK pledges $99.5 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan as temperatures begin to drop

Amid the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan, the United Kingdom on Sunday pledged $99.5 million in humanitarian aid to the war-ravaged nation in bone-chilling winters. According to a press release, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss allocated $99.5mn of UK emergency aid to the Afghan people in a bid to provide life-saving food, and emergency health services as well as shelter, water and hygiene services. This vital aid will now go through the UN and other trusted delivery partners and will help respond to the worsening humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. 

“The UK is providing vital humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan this winter. The funds announced today will save lives, protect women and girls and support stability in the region. We are determined to do all we can for the people of Afghanistan,” Lizz Truss said. 

As per the press note, the UK support is part of the $378 million Britain has pledged to give to Afghanistan this year. This aid will be used to provide support for victims of gender-based violence and it will also fund essential child protection services. Britain said that the aid agencies will prioritise those most at risk including households headed by women and disabled people. 

The UK funding will be channelled through the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund, World Food Programme (WFP), International Organisation for Migration, UN Children’s Fund, the UN Population Fund and International Rescue Committee. “No funding will go directly to the Taliban,” the UK government clearly stated. The UK continues to work with international partners to tackle the ongoing humanitarian crisis, preserve regional stability, protect the gains of the last 20 years and to stress to the Taliban the essential need for Afghan girls of all ages to go back to school, the press release said. 

Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis 

Meanwhile, it is to mention that the UK’s pledge follows G7 discussions on global crisis and conflict situations, including in Afghanistan, where Truss called for greater international cooperation in a bid to prevent serious risks of migration, regional instability and humanitarian crises. It also comes after the World Bank donors approved the release of $280 million for Afghanistan's humanitarian needs. According to Sputnik, contributors to the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund agreed to pay $280 million to United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Program (WFP) by the end of December. 

It is pertinent to mention that the hasty political transition in mid-August followed by significant disruptions in public finances, services, and blocked international aid has left an enormous impact on Afghan citizens, particularly women. Additionally, Russia, the US, Japan, Canada, France and the UK have expressed that they are not planning to recognise the government formed by the Taliban. Additionally, global financial organisations like World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) have also refused to accept the all-male caretaker government of the Islamic Emirati after it was formed on September 8. 

(Image: AP)