UNDP signs USD 20 million partnership agreement with World Bank to support Afghanistan

The United Nations Development Progamme (UNDP) in partnership with the World Bank has signed an agreement worth USD 20 million to support the economic, humanitarian and social development initiatives across all eight regions and 34 provinces of Afghanistan. In a statement, the UNDP said that the new partnership agreement will provide assistance to tailored capacity building to NGO/CSOs within their work environment and will support their Quick Impact Projects (QIPs).

In efforts to support Afghanistan's economic revival and delicate communities, the United Nations agency will select 400 NGOs and CSOs based on their capacity for better outreach, engagement and project design.

NGOs and CSOs to play critical role

Since Afghanistan is facing a deepening and increasingly deadly humanitarian crisis, NGOs and CSOs have played a critical role in providing service delivery in hard-to-reach areas of the country. Therefore, in order to provide humanitarian and development activities in Afghanistan, the agency will support NGOs in the country so that they can continue with their work. 

Apart from NGOs and CSOs, QIPs will also simultaneously aim to enhance access to health, education, agriculture and food security and livelihood activities for vulnerable and marginalised communities of the crisis-hit country, including persons with disabilities.

UNDP's expanded approach to support Afghanistan 

After the withdrawal of the US troops and the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, the financial and operational management capacities of the NGO/CSOs worsened as the donors providing financial assistance departed from the country.  Therefore, this latest project approved through World Bank’s Approach 2.0, is an expanded approach of the UNDP to support the people of Afghanistan. The partnership came in view of the request made by Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) donors and the international community.

According to UNDP, the approach will guide the provision of over USD 1 billion in funds from the ARTF in the form of recipient-executed grants to selected United Nations agencies and international NGOs.

The initiative is also part of the UNDP-led, Area-based Approach for Development Emergency Initiative (ABADEI), a commitment to support community resilience through area-based integrated programming. Meanwhile, the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan has consistently urged the agency that aid should be distributed in coordination with government offices.