UNAMA hands Afghanistan’s central bank $16 M in cash
[KhaamaPress] Afghanistan’s Central Bank- De Afghanistan Bank- in a statement said that they received $16 million in cash, part of the humanitarian aids to Afghanistan.
The statement that was released on Thursday, December 02 reads that the fund was given by United Nations Assistant Mission in Afghanistan (UNAAM.)
This is the first time that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is receiving aids from abroad as the countries and international aid agencies have been saying that they will not provide direct aid to the Taliban.
World Bank to unfreeze $280M of Afghanistan’s reserves
[KhaamaPress] The World Bank’s Board has decided to release $280 million of Afghanistan’s frozen fund to help tackle the country’s deepening humanitarian crisis.
The World Bank is intended to be transferring the money to two aid agencies-World Food Program (WFP) and UNICEF, told a familiar source to the matter.
The sources have told Reuters that, the 31 donors to the World Bank-administered Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) must approve the transfer before the money flow to the two aid agencies.
The donors are reportedly expected to be meeting on Friday, December 2.
World Bank conducted an informal meeting on Tuesday to consider releasing $500 million of the $1.5 billion funds aided in the ARTF to humanitarian aid agencies.
The White House and Treasury Department have not immediately commented on the issue but the department has previously confirmed that banks can conduct money transactions for humanitarian purposes to Afghanistan.
Analysts say that the money can definitely help tackle Afghanistan’s crisis up to some certain point but say the big question is how to transfer the fund into Afghanistan as financial agencies are afraid of US sanctions.
16 countries pledge to provide Afghans with humanitarian aids
[KhaamaPress] Afghanistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that an Afghan delegation led by the acting foreign minister Amir Khan Motaqi met with representatives and ambassadors of 16 countries on Wednesday, December 1 in Doha.
The countries include Germany, Canada, Finland, New Zealand, Italy, South Korea, EU, Spain, US, Norway, Sweden, Netherland, Australia, England, and Japan.
The meeting comes a day after the Afghan delegation conducted two-day talks with the US delegation led by the special envoy Thomas West.
Russia’s second consignment of humanitarian aid arrives in Kabul.
[KhaamaPress] Taliban’s Ministry of Natural Disasters Management on Wednesday, December 01 said that Russia’s second consignment of humanitarian aids arrived in the Afghan capital Kabul.
Officials of the ministry said that the consignment weighs 36 tons that includes flour, sugar, and tea.
Russia’s deputy ambassador based in Kabul said that another tranche of humanitarian assistance weighing 36 tons will arrive in Kabul soon.
The country’s first shipment of relief assistance that weighed 36 tons had arrived in Kabul over two weeks ago.
Russia has pledged to be providing the people of Afghanistan with 108 tons of humanitarian aid.
It comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently called on the West especially on the US to release over $9.5 billion of Afghanistan’s reserves to help address the deepening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
UN Seeks $4.5B to Assist Vulnerable Afghans
[ToloNws] The United Nations is seeking to triple its Afghanistan-focused programs in light of the “various needs and circumstances" of the country.
The UN organization stated it is seeking $4.5 billion to help vulnerable people around the world in 2022, and cited the crisis in Afghanistan as an example of the need.
“We never left Afghanistan and we are there now with a projected programme for 2022 three times, three times the size of the program for 2021 because of the various needs and circumstances that you know so well,” said Martin Griffiths, Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.