U.N.: Food Stocks in Afghanistan ‘Could Run Out This Month’
The World Food Programme is dependant on foreign governments donations
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Food supplied by the United Nations (U.N.) World Food Programme to Afghanistan could run out by the end of this month, according to U.N. humanitarian coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov.
Alakbarov told reporters:
“Food stocks in Afghanistan could run out as soon as this month."
“For us to keep the current demand, we need at least $200 million only for the food sector, to be able to provide food to the most vulnerable,” he added.
The World Food Programme is dependant on foreign governments donations to provide aid to the starving population.
Alakbarov said the United Nation “is set to issue a flash appeal for Afghanistan in the coming days” to fundraise the $200 million sum needed to sustain the country’s food supply.
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The U.N. has provided 600 metric tons of food to Afghanistan in recent days.
The Programme directed the supply trucks to enter Afghanistan via its land border with Pakistan, U.N. News reported.
Millions of families in #Afghanistan need our help right now! We’ve seen what happens when we turn our backs on innocent people struggling with hunger.
— David Beasley (@WFPChief) September 1, 2021
No food = no stability. pic.twitter.com/PCe9tbe9DP
The Taliban got rid of Kabul’s U.S.-backed government on August 15 after it took full control of the country.
The country was plunged into chaos following the takeover, which caused inflation for basic food items.
The U.S. government blocked the Taliban’s access to “virtually all of the Afghanistan central bank’s $9 billion in reserves, most of which are held in the U.S.,” Deutsche Welle (DW) reported on August 24.
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Afghanistan’s access to its funds was blocked by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The move causes Afghanistan to suffer from an acute shortage of U.S. dollars.
“With no new shipment of dollars arriving to shore it up, the local currency, afghani, has crashed to record lows, sending prices soaring. Prices of staples like flour, oil, and rice have risen by as much as 10 percent-20 percent in a few days,” DW noted on August 24.
It is estimated that 18 million people “depended on emergency aid to meet their basic needs” before the country's upheaval.
The report said the U.N. had already attempted to fundraise about $1.3 billion in aid but “has so far netted less than $400 million."
David Beasley, the World Food Programme Executive Director, met with the Taliban’s chief spokesman, Suhail Shaheen, to discuss the country's ongoing drought and worsening food crisis.
Shaheen tweeted he discussed with Beasley “humanitarian issues, and ongoing situation of Afghanistan including problems emerged as a result of drought [sic].”
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— Suhail Shaheen. محمد سهیل شاهین (@suhailshaheen1) August 26, 2021
Sher M. Abbas Stanikzai, Deputy Director, PO and his accompanying delegation met with David Beasley, Executive Director of WFP and his delegation in Doha. They discussed humanitarian issues and ongoing situation of Afghanistan including problems emerged as a result of drought
“This fall, we’re very concerned because we’re running out of money and the winter months are coming, and we have got to preposition food [sic],” the World Food Programme chief said.
“You know, it’s been an interesting time because the Taliban have been assuring us that they want us to continue,” Beasley added.
