Italy has contributed $2.89 million to Afghanistan’s humanitarian fund, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Monday, as aid agencies warn of worsening conditions across the country.
OCHA said the funding would help humanitarian organizations respond to emergencies and protect people most at risk amid deepening economic hardship.
The donation follows a separate contribution by Italy last week of 1 million euros to a livelihoods project in Afghanistan, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime said.
UNODC said the funding would support alternative livelihood programmes aimed at creating legal income opportunities for vulnerable women and young people. The assistance is part of the second phase of a project focused on improving the welfare of Afghan women and youth through sustainable income generation, building on earlier work carried out in Herat and Nangarhar.
The aid comes as Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. The United Nations has said that millions of Afghans face acute food insecurity, limited access to healthcare and livelihoods, and the impact of repeated natural disasters, while international funding has fallen short of needs.
The UN estimates that nearly half of Afghanistan’s population requires humanitarian assistance, warning that aid shortfalls are forcing agencies to scale back life-saving services.
