Germany to provide around $7 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan

KABUL: The German Foreign Ministry has announced in a statement that it will provide $6.87 million in humanitarian aid to the Afghan people. The statement highlights that Afghanistan is facing a severe humanitarian crisis, with around 23 million individuals lacking access to adequate food, drinking water, and medical supplies. This comes as Jan Egeland, the head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, stated that the current situation in Afghanistan has worsened and that the international community must prioritize providing humanitarian and developmental assistance rather than maintaining distance. In a message marking the fourth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power, Egeland warned that neglecting Afghanistan would have dire humanitarian consequences. He urged donor countries to resume their diplomatic presence in Afghanistan, suggesting that the return of political representatives to Kabul could facilitate direct cooperation and strengthen efforts to support the rights of Afghan women and girls. Meanwhile, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Friday that Afghanistan’s economic situation is deteriorating, with millions in need of urgent assistance. WFP Executive Director Mary Ellen McGowan stated that the organization requires international support to combat hunger among Afghans, having already assisted 20 million individuals, while six million Afghans still face food insecurity.