{"id":2367,"date":"2022-08-29T21:49:30","date_gmt":"2022-08-29T21:49:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gulftimes.ae\/un-relief-chief-stresses-need-to-stay-and-deliver-for-all-afghans\/"},"modified":"2022-08-29T21:49:30","modified_gmt":"2022-08-29T21:49:30","slug":"un-relief-chief-stresses-need-to-stay-and-deliver-for-all-afghans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gulftimes.ae\/?p=2367","title":{"rendered":"UN relief chief stresses need to stay and deliver for all Afghans |"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n
<\/p>\n

\n

UN Humanitarian Coordinator Martin Griffiths, who briefed ambassadors, reported on the ongoing hardships and uncertainty facing Afghans, nearly half of whom \u2013 24 million people<\/strong> \u2013 require aid relief to survive.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n
<\/p>\n
\n

#Afghanistan<\/a> is more than a humanitarian crisis. But it is not a hopeless crisis.<\/p>\n

Preserving basic service delivery alongside humanitarian assistance remains the only way to prevent a catastrophe even greater than what we have seen in the past year.<\/p>\n

My remarks:<\/p>\n

\u2014 Martin Griffiths (@UNReliefChief) August 29, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cAfghanistan\u2019s crisis is a humanitarian crisis, but it\u2019s not only that. It\u2019s an economic crisis. It\u2019s a climate crisis. It\u2019s a hunger crisis. It\u2019s a financial crisis. But it\u2019s not a hopeless crisis<\/strong>,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A critical situation\u00a0<\/h2>\n

Although conflict, poverty, climate shocks and food insecurity have long been a \u201csad reality\u201d for Afghanistan, Mr. Griffiths outlined why the current situation is so critical.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Firstly, large-scale development assistance has been halted for a year in a country that was already facing severe levels of food insecurity and malnutrition, which have only deteriorated.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Humanitarians are also confronting an \u201cexceptionally challenging\u201d operating environment, he added, as engaging with the de fact<\/em>o authorities is \u201clabour intensive\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Liquidity crisis, rights reversal\u00a0<\/h2>\n

Furthermore, there is no confidence in the domestic banking sector<\/strong> which has sparked a liquidity crisis, that has affected aid delivery. A Humanitarian Exchange Facility intended to partially alleviate the liquidity crisis, is still being negotiated with Taliban leaders.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meanwhile women and girls \u201chave been pushed to the sidelines<\/strong>\u201d, Mr. Griffiths added. Rights gains have been reversed, and adolescent girls have not attended school in a year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the 21st century, we should not need to explain why girls\u2019 education and women\u2019s empowerment are important <\/strong>to them, to their communities, to their countries, and indeed to all of us,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Funding shortfall\u00a0<\/h2>\n

The UN relief chief stressed that preserving basic service delivery alongside humanitarian assistance \u201cremains the only way to prevent a catastrophe even greater than what we have seen these many months.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

He reported that poverty is still deepening<\/strong>, the population continues to grow, and the de facto<\/em> authorities have no budget to invest in their own future, making it clear that \u201csome development support needs to be restarted\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A $4.4 billion Humanitarian Response Plan for Afghanistan currently has a gap of $3.14 billion, he said.<\/p>\n

With winter approaching, more than $600 million is urgently needed to support priority preparedness activities, such as upgrades and repairs to shelters, as well as provision of warm clothes and blankets. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Additionally, $154 million is needed to pre-position supplies, including food and livelihood assistance, before the winter weather cuts off access to some areas of the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Prosperity and safety\u00a0<\/h2>\n

\u201cThe people of Afghanistan are still there. They have shown incredible resilience over the decades and in this last year.\u00a0Our task is to help them to prosper, to flourish and to be safe,<\/strong>\u201d said Mr. Griffiths, who also called for action by the de facto<\/em> authorities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBureaucratic interferences and procedures slow down humanitarian assistance when it is needed most. Female humanitarian aid workers \u2013 both national and international \u2013 must be allowed to work unhindered and securely. And girls must be allowed to continue their education.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018Ambiguous\u2019 engagement\u00a0<\/h2>\n

Markus Potzel, the Secretary-General\u2019s Acting Special Representative for Afghanistan, reported on the UN\u2019s ongoing engagement with the de facto<\/em> authorities, as well as efforts towards promoting inclusive governance, rights and freedoms.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He said the Taliban have been \u201cambiguous\u201d as to the extent to which they want to engage, predicated on being in accordance with their interpretation of Sharia law. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Mr. Potzel underlined the vital need to move \u201cbeyond an exchange of hardened positions\u201d towards a sustained dialogue between the Taliban, other Afghan stakeholders, the wider region and the international community.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cSuch dialogue must place the interests of all Afghans at its centre,”\u00a0<\/strong>he advised.\u00a0 “The future stability of Afghanistan rests on meeting the needs of the Afghan people, preserving their rights, and reflecting the country\u2019s diversity in all governance structures.”\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n