An ‘Interim Report on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan’ by Asia Council’s High level Panel on Food In-security & Humanitarian Crisis for South, Central and West Asia has called upon the international community for immediate scaling up of humanitarian support in Afghanistan to avert a major catastrophe.
The Asia Council High level Panel has categorized the situation in Afghanistan as ‘extremely grave’ and has raised the highest-level of ‘crisis alert’ set for any region in the continent.
The report states that over 90 percent of the 40 million population of Afghanistan are ‘food insecure’ as of today with over 20 million or half the Afghan population suffering from chronic hunger. This has put millions at risk of dying of starvation.
Children and mothers are particularly vulnerable with prolonged exposure to acute under nourishment and a severely inadequate health care system.
Winter snow in Afghanistan poses a serious logistical challenge for movement of humanitarian aid. Recurring natural disasters has already aggravated the crisis and massive flood in neighboring Pakistan has disrupted a very critical supply line.
To prevent annihilation of millions from hunger & disease, the international community must act immediately & swiftly to enormously scaleup the humanitarian operation in Afghanistan before the long & harsh winter sets in.
The report also stresses on the urgent need to resurrect the Afghan economy at the earliest with a ‘functional banking system’ integrated with the global economy to escape the vicious cycle of deprivation.
This interim report on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan will be taken up for discussion by regional leaders at Asia Council Forum on Economic Cooperation at the coun-cil’s South Asia & South East Asia directorate in Bangkok.
The Kabul Times
Asia Council seeks immediate step-up of humanitarian support in Afghanistan to avert a major catastrophe
