Humanitarian Aid: UN, Afghan govt launch $430m appeal for 2018

The UN and the Afghan Government on Monday launched a 430-million-dollar appeal for humanitarian assistance in the war-torn country in 2018.

The UN’s Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) said the funds will be used to help provide 2.8 million people displaced with emergency shelter, food, and medical treatment.

As many as 360,000 people were displaced by conflict in Afghanistan in 2017 alone. The number of armed clashes with militants was the highest in the past decade, an OCHA report said.

“In many parts of Afghanistan, violence continues unabated and people need support more than ever,” Toby Lanzer, the Head of OCHA said.

The Afghan government is fighting a resilient insurgency and peace offers to the Taliban, the main insurgent group, have been rejected.

The aid response plan put forth consists of 150 national and international humanitarian organisations in Afghanistan involved in providing assistance for those in need.

“After decades of conflict, we may not abandon people and saving lives with immediate assistance must remain our highest priority,” Tobias Thyberg, Sweden’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, said.

The UN appeal for Afghanistan in 2017 was for 550 million dollars.