Doha’s financial contributions and assistance to Kabul were expected to reach $50 million last year.
Aid provided by Qatar Charity has been delivered to Afghanistan on Sunday, to help the country amidst a worsening humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by decades of conflict and drought.
According to Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the shipment contained 22 tonnes of food and winter supplies and was part of the Gulf state’s airbridge from Doha to the Afghan people.
“The Qatari response aims to provide the urgent [and] necessary needs of the Afghan people to face the winter season,” added the MOFA’s statement.
The latest shipment comes as part of Qatar’s continuous efforts to support Afghans, especially following last year’s developments in the country following the collapse of the former government.
In addition to its evacuation efforts, the Gulf state launched daily aid flights to the country in September, which remain ongoing in quest to assist in alleviating the suffering of the Afghan people.
Previously, Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi said that Doha’s financial contributions to Afghanistan were going to reach $50 million by the end of last year.
“Qatar reiterated on Monday its full solidarity with the people of Afghanistan and its continuous support till they achieve their legitimate demands for stability, security, peace and development,” read a statement by the Gulf state’s foreign ministry (MOFA), published in September last year.
Qatar further joined members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in pledging to set up a humanitarian trust fund for Afghanistan under the Islamic Development Bank (ISDB), to serve as a vehicle channelling humanitarian assistance to the country.
Worsening humanitarian crisis
The country has been struggling with an ongoing humanitarian crisis, due primarily to drought and decades of conflict.
Concerns over the humanitarian situation have been further amplified by the international community since the Taliban took over Kabul on 15 August last year, which was followed by the US freezing billions of Afghan funds, propelling the country into further difficulty.
According to the World Food Programme (QFP), many Afghan families have been impacted by the country’s economic and humanitarian situation.
The agency estimated that 98% of Afghans are not consuming enough food.
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