KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The European Union has delivered a shipment of life-saving food assistance to Kabul in the first of three planned humanitarian flights to Afghanistan, officials said on Tuesday.
In a statement issued on March 3, the EU Delegation to Afghanistan said the flights — carried out in cooperation with UNICEF — will transport a total of 20,000 ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) rations to support children suffering from acute malnutrition.
Veronika Boskovic Pohar, Head of the European Union Delegation to Afghanistan stated “The EU remains committed to Afghanistan’s most vulnerable – ensuring life-saving nutrition reaches children when it matters the most. Via UNICEF, this donation will treat 20.000 children in Afghanistan.”
“For children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, timely treatment can mean the difference between life and death. We thank the European Union for this rapid and invaluable support,” said Dr. Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF Representative in Afghanistan. “The EU, through its humanitarian aid, has repeatedly provided critical assistance during humanitarian emergencies, and this airlift is another example of that support to Afghanistan’s children and families.”
The shipment arrives at a time when humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned of severe funding shortfalls and shortages of essential supplies needed to treat malnutrition across the country.
According to the EU Delegation, the shortage of therapeutic food supplies has been driven by the lack of local procurement options, the closure of the Pakistan border — one of the main supply routes — and significant reductions in funding from some major international donors.
Ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) is a high-energy, nutrient-dense paste used to treat severe acute malnutrition and is a cornerstone of emergency nutrition program. Humanitarian organizations across Afghanistan rely on it to save the lives of malnourished children.
The EU said the supplies transported through these emergency flights will be distributed by UNICEF to humanitarian partners across the country to ensure that treatment for vulnerable children continues uninterrupted until regular supply routes are restored.
Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies, with nearly 22 million people requiring assistance this year, according to United Nations estimates. Women and children are among the most affected, as women and girls remain barred from education, most jobs, and medical services.
Malnutrition continues to be a major concern. The World Food Program estimates that about 3.7 million children and 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women will face acute malnutrition in 2026.
UN agencies and humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned that funding gaps threaten life-saving operations across the country. They have called for increased and sustained international support, particularly for communities affected by natural disasters and for families returning to areas struggling with food shortages and harsh winter conditions.
