According to an April 13 census by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Afghanistan Humanitarian Response Plan 2023 is among the least funded in the world.
Of the $4.6 billion requested on appeal, the agencies received only $251 million, just over 5.4% of the total funding required.
According to OCHA, the lack of funding is forcing humanitarian organizations to scale back the life-saving assistance they are providing to millions of people at a time when aid should be increased.
For example, on March 20, the World Food Program (WFP) announced that with current funding, it could only provide essential food aid to 3 million of the 13 million people planned for April.
“This means nine million vulnerable and starving Afghans will not receive food aid,” OCHA warned.
A mother of eight is struggling to feed her children in Badakhshan province, Afghanistan.
The number of people at risk of starvation is one of the highest in the world
These food ration cuts come at a time when rural families have exhausted their food supplies ahead of the upcoming May harvest. Also some important supplies for other sectors could be interrupted due to lack of financing.
The number of people at risk of starvation is currently “one of the highest in the world”. Moderate acute malnutrition is also the highest on record in the country, according to OCHA, and an estimated four million children, expectant and nursing mothers will suffer from acute malnutrition this year.
Faced with these worrying food insecurity numbers, humanitarian organizations have called on the international community to urgently provide humanitarian funds and prioritize the basic needs of Afghanistan’s most vulnerable populations.
“Humanitarian aid is the last lifeline for millions of people in Afghanistan,” stressed OCHA. It should be noted that in 2022, humanitarian organizations provided assistance to more than 26 million people, that is, almost two-thirds of the population.
“If humanitarian aid is not maintained, millions of people risk falling into a situation of acute and grave need,” OCHA concluded.
Since August 2021, thousands of Afghans have been relocated to Canada on IOM-supported flights.
More than 30,000 Afghans have been resettled in Canada
More than 300 people from Afghanistan arrived in Canada on Wednesday, bringing the total number of Afghans resettled to more than 30,000 since the Taliban took control in the summer of 2021, the country told the UN Migration Agency on Thursday (IOM). A flight from Pakistan arrived at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday morning.
On board were people who have supported Canada’s mission in Afghanistan, family members of former interpreters and privately funded refugees.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says it has been working closely with the Canadian government and other partners since August 2021 to safely relocate Afghans to the country.
“The safe and dignified resettlement of refugees around the world has been a core part of IOM’s work for more than 70 years, and we are proud to be part of Canada’s effort to provide new homes to tens of thousands of vulnerable Afghans,” said IOM Director General António Vitorino, noting his organization’s determination to ensure Afghans have the opportunity to start their lives anew in safety.
Since August 2021, thousands of Afghans have been relocated to Canada on IOM-supported flights.
Canada has pledged to relocate at least 40,000 Afghans According to Ottawa, the Humanitarian Relocation Program for Protected Persons focuses on relocating the most vulnerable Afghans, including women, human rights defenders, victims of persecution, members of religious minorities, people from the LGBTQI+ community and journalists.
“The acceptance of 30,000 Afghans is a significant achievement despite Afghanistan being one of the largest and most difficult resettlement efforts in Canadian history,” Canadian Foreign Minister Sean Fraser said in a statement.
“This milestone also demonstrates the commitment of our partners, including IOM, who continue to help vulnerable Afghans travel safely to Canada,” added Mr. Fraser. Canada has pledged to relocate at least 40,000 Afghans through a series of special programs after the Taliban return in 2021, and that goal is set to be met by the end of this year.
“IOM will continue to work with its global partners to support Canada’s pledge to host at least 40,000 Afghans,” confirmed the head of the Geneva-based UN agency.
IOM recently worked with the Canadian government to relocate Syrian and Iraqi refugees.
More broadly, the UN agency plays a critical role in the resettlement process, including coordinating resettlement flights, assisting with the application process, providing pre-departure health assessments, and pre-departure orientation sessions to prepare Afghans for their new life in Canada. IOM also facilitates their travel to their new home communities across the country.
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