Urgent humanitarian assistance required to meet basic food needs of Afghan people: India at UNSC

New York/Washington: Ambassador of India to the UN, TS Tirumurti, said that India has extended its support to the UNSC resolution to grant exemption from sanctions for humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, where half the population are facing acute food insecurity.

Tirumurti, Permanent Representative of India to UN, on Wednesday said, "The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is dire. We have seen reports that suggest that over half the population are facing crisis or emergency levels of acute food insecurity, urgent humanitarian assistance is required to meet the basic food needs of the people, and most of the country is going below the poverty threshold." 

"Over the last two decades, India has contributed significantly to the development of Afghanistan. We have just airlifted half a million doses of vaccines and 1.6 metric tonnes of life saving medicines. We are also in the process of sending more medicines and food grains," Indian Ambassador said at UN Security Council.

Tirumurti further said, "As the largest regional development partner of Afghanistan, India is willing to coordinate with other stakeholders to work towards enabling the expeditious provision of much-needed assistance to the people of Afghanistan."

He noted that the winter is already upon us. It is important that assistance be scaled up urgently and unhindered access is provided to the UN and other agencies. In this context, India has supported the call of the international community that access to humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan should be direct and without any hindrance.

"Humanitarian assistance should be based on the principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence and disbursement of the aid should be non-discriminatory and accessible to all, irrespective of ethnicity, religion or political belief. In particular, the assistance should reach the most vulnerable first - including women, children and minorities," he added. 

Tirumurti further said that at the same time, this Council should equally exercise its oversight on the delivery of assistance as well as guard against any possible diversion of funds. This is essential since any diversion or misuse can be counter-productive. In this regard, we welcome the provision in the resolution which calls for a review of the implementation of the humanitarian carve out after one year. 

"We call on the international community and countries in the region to come together, rising above partisan interests. As the largest regional development partner of Afghanistan, India is willing to coordinate with other stakeholders to work towards enabling the expeditious provision of much-needed assistance to the people of Afghanistan," Tirumurti stated. 

Blinken, Qatari FM discuss Afghanistan

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday reviewed the latest developments regarding Afghanistan. He also spoke to Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani and congratulated "the Qatari people for their recent observance of Qatar National Day and thanked Qatar for its continued work to assist with the safe transit from Afghanistan of US citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, and Afghans to whom we have a special commitment," said an official statement.

According to the statement, Blinken and the Foreign Minister also reviewed the latest developments regarding Afghanistan. 

Earlier on Wednesday, Blinken said that the United States will work with the international community to scale up the level of assistance provided to Afghanistan, adding to provide one million additional COVID-19 vaccine doses to the strife-torn country through COVAX.

US to provide additional 1 mn COVID-19 vaccine doses to Afghanistan

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the United States will work with the international community to scale up the level of assistance provided to Afghanistan, adding to provide one million additional COVID-19 vaccine doses to the strife-torn country through COVAX.

In a statement, he said the United States provided nearly USD 474 million in humanitarian aid in Afghanistan and for Afghan refugees in the region making us the single largest provider of humanitarian assistance during the Fiscal Year 2021. 

"We will continue to support efforts by our partners to scale up assistance and deliver necessary relief during this moment of particular need," said the statement, adding that the US Department of the Treasury`s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued three General Licenses on Wednesday (local time) to facilitate the continued flow of vital assistance and support for the Afghan people.

These licenses expand upon existing authorizations for the provision of humanitarian assistance and other activities that support basic human needs and enable broader support for the Afghan people consistent with Resolution 2615 (2021) adopted by the UN Security Council earlier today, Blinken said.

This Resolution, drafted by the United States and unanimously adopted by the 15 members of the UN Security Council, establishes a carveout in the UN 1988 sanctions regime to ensure urgently needed aid can reach the Afghan people.

The Resolution also requests periodic updates by the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator to ensure assistance is reaching the intended beneficiaries, not being diverted to the Taliban. 

While US sanctions on the Taliban remain in place, OFAC has provided broad authorizations that ensure nongovernmental organizations, international organizations, and the US government can continue to provide assistance and critical support to the most vulnerable Afghans. 

(With Agency Inputs)

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