Xinhua
15 Sep 2021, 02:14 GMT+10
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Tuesday appealed to countries that pledged 1.2 billion U.S. dollars in relief for Afghanistan to quickly release the funds to turn money into food, health care and protection for victims.
Stephane Dujarric, the chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the pledges in humanitarian and development aid were announced at a high-level conference in Geneva on Monday chaired by Guterres. The promises include funding for the flash appeal for Afghanistan and a regional response.
"The United Nations and humanitarian partners, including national and international nongovernmental organizations, can move quickly to turn funds into food, health care and protection for Afghan children, women and men in need," Dujarric said.
He said the world organization and its humanitarian partners continue to deliver aid to millions of people in need in Afghanistan. Several relief missions made it from Mazar-i-Sharif by road to Maimana and from Kabul to Jalalabad.
A convoy with aid from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reached Nangarhar, the spokesman said. "This is the second convoy of relief items that have entered Afghanistan through the Torkham Border Crossing since Aug. 15."
Seasonal food assistance from the World Food Programme (WFP) continues with one month's worth of food for previously assessed vulnerable families, he said.
The spokesman said that the WFP is also pre-positioning food and other stocks at strategic border points in Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in anticipation of high food needs and further disruptions to supply chains. A logistics hub is being set up in Termez, Uzbekistan.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) called for urgent assistance to help save Afghanistan's next wheat harvest, keep life-sustaining farm animals alive, and avoid a deterioration of the country's already severe humanitarian crisis.
It sought funds at the pledging conference in Geneva to ensure farmers will not miss the upcoming winter wheat planting season and assist the agriculture-based livelihoods of 3.5 million vulnerable Afghans until the end of the year.
"The window of opportunity to assist Afghan farmers before winter is very narrow," said Qu Dongyu, FAO director-general. "It is critical that support be scaled-up and speeded up immediately."
Without urgent and rapid assistance, farmers will miss this crucial planting season, which is just starting, Qu told the Geneva conference.
Get a daily dose of Long Beach Star news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Long Beach Star.
More InformationNEW YORK, New York -U.S. stock markets closed with broad gains on Thursday, led by strong performances in U.S. tech stocks, while European...
PARIS, France: L'Oréal is making a fresh play in the booming premium haircare segment with a new acquisition. The French beauty conglomerate...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: In a significant ruling last week, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Texas law requiring age verification for users...
MENLO PARK, California: Robinhood is giving European investors a new way to tap into America's most prominent tech names — without...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks diverged on Wednesday for the second day in a row. The Standard and Poor's 500 hit a new all-time...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: The U.S. dollar continues to lose ground, weighed down by growing concerns over Washington's fiscal outlook...
GENEVA, Switzerland: A new United Nations report alleges that dozens of global corporations are profiting from and helping sustain...
LONDON, UK - Lawmakers in the United Kingdom have voted overwhelmingly to proscribe the direct-action group Palestine Action as a terrorist...
DHARAMSHALA, India: The Dalai Lama is set to address a significant three-day conference of Buddhist leaders this week, coinciding with...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: In a significant ruling last week, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Texas law requiring age verification for users...
ISTANBUL/PARIS/BRUSSELS: As searing temperatures blanket much of Europe, wildfires are erupting and evacuation orders are being issued...
VENICE, Italy: Over the weekend, hundreds of protesters marched through the narrow streets of Venice to voice their opposition to billionaire...