Germany has announced a €60 million humanitarian aid package for the World Food Program (WFP) in Afghanistan. This funding aims to address the urgent needs of individuals affected by the recent earthquake in western Herat province and Afghan returnees from Pakistan.
In a statement on the X platform on Thursday, November 30, the German mission in Afghanistan announced the funding stating, “This will help to strengthen the humanitarian response and benefit Afghan victims of the Herat Earthquake and Afghan returnees at the border of Pakistan.”
Afghanistan is currently facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Over 29 million people in the country need urgent help. A recent report by the United Nations found that 35% of Afghanistan’s population is facing a severe food crisis. This crisis has pushed over 15 million people into the third degree of food insecurity, with nearly 3 million experiencing a critical emergency level of hunger. In addition to the ongoing economic woes, the multiple earthquakes in Herat province in October and the deportation of undocumented immigrants from Pakistan and Iran further deepened the humanitarian crisis in the country.
The World Food Program had previously requested for $27.5 million to help one million Afghan returnees from Pakistan and $7.9 million to provide urgent and essential health services for 114,000 of the most vulnerable survivors of the earthquake. In a statement on November 23, the UN agency stated that most of the families crossing the Pakistan border are hungry, desperate, and in need of immediate support. The UN agency further stated that it is currently critically underfunded and without additional funding, it will not be able to continue its support to these families who are arriving at the border with nothing but a few basics and some bread for their journey.
“The situation is particularly dire as the harsh winter is only weeks away and the country is still reeling from devastating earthquakes, a battered economy, and a worsening climate crisis,” stated WFP Afghanistan Country Director Hsiao-Wei Lee. “We urgently need US$ 27.5 million to support one million returnees from Pakistan arriving in Afghanistan and help them get through the winter.”
The recent earthquakes in Herat province, Afghanistan, have caused widespread devastation and displacement, leaving thousands of people in need of urgent assistance. The earthquake, which struck on October 7, 2023, was followed by a series of powerful aftershocks that further compounded the damage. According to a UN report, the earthquake has affected at least 1.6 million people, with over 21,000 homes destroyed or severely damaged. The death toll is estimated to be around 1,500, with thousands more injured. The earthquake has also had a significant impact on the local economy, disrupting agriculture and livelihoods. Many people have lost their homes, businesses, and livestock, and are now struggling to meet their basic needs.
