ISLAMABAD – The United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP) in Afghanistan is being forced to drop food assistance for another two million people in September due to massive funding shortfalls, the organisation said in a statement on Tuesday, reported German news agency (dpa).
This brings the total number of people cut off from WFP support this year to 10 million.
“With the few resources we have left, we are not able to serve all those people teetering on the edge of utter destitution,” said Hsiao-Wei Lee, WFP country director in Afghanistan.
The cuts mean that 1.4 million new and expecting mothers and their children are no longer receiving specialised food designed to prevent malnutrition, the agency said.
“For the coming six months, WFP needs US$1 billion to reach 21 million people with lifesaving food, nutrition and livelihood support,” the statement added.
Afghanistan is suffering from the impact of 40 years of conflict, a crippled economy and the effects of the climate crisis.
WFP urged donor countries to prioritise funding for humanitarian operations at the upcoming annual UN General Assembly in New York.- Bernama
