The UK will be releasing up to £30 million of life-saving aid to
Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries to help those who choose to
leave Afghanistan as part of the Government’s efforts to support
regional stability.
£10 million will be made available immediately to humanitarian
partners, such as the UNHCR, to enable essential supplies such as
shelters to be despatched to the Afghan borders as well as
setting up sanitation and hygiene facilities. A further £20
million will be allocated to countries that experience a
significant increase in refugees to support reception and
registration facilities and provide essential services and
supplies.
Foreign Secretary, said:
“It is vital that we help those fleeing Afghanistan and do
not allow the crisis there to undermine regional stability.
“That’s why these life-saving supplies are so important. They
will provide Afghans who have left everything behind with
essential kit offering shelter and basic sanitation as they
seek to pick up the pieces of their lives. This aid
demonstrates the UK’s commitment to shoulder our humanitarian
responsibility and support those countries who will face the
greatest demands for those displaced.”
This is the first tranche of the additional funding, announced by
the Prime Minister in response to the crisis when he doubled the
UK’s aid contribution to Afghanistan to £286 million this year.
The security and political instability in Afghanistan has
compounded an already dire humanitarian situation for the Afghan
population with 550,000 people displaced within Afghanistan since
the start of the year and significant increases in refugees
moving across Afghanistan’s borders in recent weeks. The UNHCR
estimates a worst case scenario of over 500,000 refugees fleeing
the country to Pakistan, Tajikistan, Iran, Uzbekistan and
Turkmenistan in the coming months.
The disbursement of aid comes as the Foreign Secretary continues
his visit to the region for talks on Afghanistan with the focus
on securing safe passage for UK nationals and eligible Afghans as
well as the Government’s four international priorities –
preventing Afghanistan becoming a haven for terrorists;
responding to the humanitarian plight; safeguarding regional
stability; and holding the Taliban to account on human rights.
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