IRC: 30m people remain in dire need of assistance

KABUL (TOLOnews): The International Rescue Committee said that almost 30 million people remain in dire need of assistance as funding shortfalls jeopardize the humanitarian response after the Taliban took power in Afghanistan. The IRC also warned that cuts to humanitarian aid for Afghanistan have contributed towards a 60% increase in the number of people in need alongside economic collapse, climate change, and reduced access to basic services. “Since August 15th 2021, Afghanistan has continued to suffer from a rapid economic collapse. Ordinary Afghans have paid the price; people who previously had jobs and were self-sufficient are now reliant on humanitarian aid and many families can no longer afford to feed themselves,” said Salma Ben Aissa, IRC Afghanistan Director, as quoted in the statement. “Two years later the economy remains cut off from international systems and 28.8 million people require humanitarian assistance, while nearly the entire population lives in poverty. Almost 80% of those in need are women and girls.” Mir Shikib Mir, an economist, said that the lack of recognition of the Islamic Emirate directly affects the aid distribution process. “The reason is lack of recognition of the Taliban regime which has directly affected the aid process to Afghanistan. Another reason is the Taliban’s interference in assistance,” he said. This comes as the residents of Kabul called on the interim government and aid organizations to distribute their assistance transparently to the people. “In the past, I was making even 500 Afs on a daily basis. I now cannot even earn 200 Afs,” said Sayed Naim, a resident of Kabul. “The people are so worried. There is a spike in prices,” said Mohammad Ishhaq, a resident of Kabul. This comes as the Ministry of Economy said that the continuation of assistance in the current situation is important for Afghanistan. “The international assistance should be continued to the people of Afghanistan and this assistance should be in the field of infrastructure and development,” said Abdul Latif Nazari, deputy minister of Economy. According to the IRC Afghanistan director, this year, “in the face of significant challenges, humanitarian actors have been able to maintain and expand their activities to deliver lifesaving assistance to over 17 million Afghans. Thanks to the tenacity and dedication of Afghan aid workers, whose commitment to the Afghan people has never wavered, organizations like the IRC have been able to deliver emergency support to families in remote communities who were unable to receive support before August 2021 when the conflict was ongoing.”