The German government has pledged €10 million to Afghanistan’s Humanitarian Fund for 2024, the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Thursday.
OCHA said the contribution is part of Germany’s ongoing support for humanitarian efforts in the country.
“We are grateful for Germany’s continued support, which is saving lives in Afghanistan,” OCHA stated in a release.
The funding arrives as United Nations agencies warn of a significant funding shortfall for their 2024 operations in Afghanistan, where nearly 24 million people are in dire need of assistance. The World Food Programme (WFP) has identified Afghanistan as a “global hunger hotspot,” with a recent report indicating that over three-quarters of the population cannot afford the basic nutritious diet needed to stave off malnutrition.
“Due to persistent funding gaps, 11 million Afghans missed out on emergency food aid this year,” said Hsiao-Wei Lee, the WFP’s country director for Afghanistan. “This includes more than 2 million mothers and children who were deprived of essential nutritional support.”
The WFP has raised concerns that without additional funding, its ability to deliver critical aid will continue to be constrained, putting millions of lives at risk. The agency is urging international donors to bridge the funding gap to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.
