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Los Angeles Times
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Afghanistan has its ‘sharpest surge' ever of child malnutrition, U.N. agency says
ISLAMABAD — Afghanistan is seeing its sharpest-ever surge of child malnutrition, the World Food Program said Monday, adding it needed $539 million to help the country's most vulnerable families. Almost 10 million people, a quarter of Afghanistan's population, face acute food insecurity. One in three children is stunted. The WFP said the rise in child malnutrition was linked to a drop in emergency food assistance over the past two years because of dwindling donor support. In April, the administration of President Trump cut off food aid to Afghanistan, one of the world's poorest countries. The U.S. had been the largest funder of the WFP, providing $4.5 billion of the $9.8 billion in donations last year. Previous U.S. administrations viewed such aid as serving national security by alleviating conflict, poverty, extremism and curbing migration. Food insecurity in Afghanistan is being worsened by mass returns from neighboring countries, which are deporting foreigners they say are living there illegally. The WFP said it has supported 60,000 Afghans returning from Iran in the last two months, a fraction of those crossing the border. 'Going forward, the WFP does not have sufficient funding to cover the returnee response at this time and requires $15 million to assist all eligible returnees from Iran,' said WFP Communications Officer Ziauddin Safi. He said the agency needs $539 million through January to help vulnerable families across Afghanistan. Climate change is also hurting the population, especially those in rural areas. Matiullah Khalis, head of the National Environmental Protection Agency, said last week that drought, water shortages, declining arable land, and flash floods were having a 'profound impact' on people's lives and the economy.
Al-Ahram Weekly
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Afghanistan has sharpest surge ever of child malnutrition : UN - International
Afghanistan is seeing its sharpest-ever surge of child malnutrition, the World Food Program said Monday, adding it needed $539 million to help the country's most vulnerable families. Almost 10 million people, a quarter of Afghanistan's population, face acute food insecurity. One in three children is stunted. The WFP said the rise in child malnutrition was linked to a drop in emergency food assistance over the past two years because of dwindling donor support. In April, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump cut off food aid to Afghanistan, one of the world's poorest countries. The U.S. had been the largest funder of the WFP, providing $4.5 billion of the $9.8 billion in donations last year. Previous U.S. administrations viewed such aid as serving national security by alleviating conflict, poverty, extremism and curbing migration. Food insecurity in Afghanistan is being worsened by mass returns from neighboring countries, which are deporting foreigners they say are living there illegally. The WFP said it has supported 60,000 Afghans returning from Iran in the last two months, a fraction of those crossing the border. 'Going forward, the WFP does not have sufficient funding to cover the returnee response at this time and requires $15 million to assist all eligible returnees from Iran,' said WFP Communications Officer Ziauddin Safi. He said the agency needs $539 million through January to help vulnerable families across Afghanistan. Climate change is also hurting the population, especially those in rural areas. Matiullah Khalis, head of the National Environmental Protection Agency, said last week that drought, water shortages, declining arable land, and flash floods were having a 'profound impact' on people's lives and the economy. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
04-08-2025
- Politics
Afghanistan has its 'sharpest surge' ever of child malnutrition, UN agency says
ISLAMABAD -- Afghanistan is seeing its sharpest-ever surge of child malnutrition, the World Food Program said Monday, adding it needed $539 million to help the country's most vulnerable families. Almost 10 million people, a quarter of Afghanistan's population, face acute food insecurity. One in three children is stunted. The WFP said the rise in child malnutrition was linked to a drop in emergency food assistance over the past two years because of dwindling donor support. In April, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump cut off food aid to Afghanistan, one of the world's poorest countries. The U.S. had been the largest funder of the WFP, providing $4.5 billion of the $9.8 billion in donations last year. Previous U.S. administrations viewed such aid as serving national security by alleviating conflict, poverty, extremism and curbing migration. Food insecurity in Afghanistan is being worsened by mass returns from neighboring countries, which are deporting foreigners they say are living there illegally. The WFP said it has supported 60,000 Afghans returning from Iran in the last two months, a fraction of those crossing the border. 'Going forward, the WFP does not have sufficient funding to cover the returnee response at this time and requires $15 million to assist all eligible returnees from Iran,' said WFP Communications Officer Ziauddin Safi. He said the agency needs $539 million through January to help vulnerable families across Afghanistan. Climate change is also hurting the population, especially those in rural areas. Matiullah Khalis, head of the National Environmental Protection Agency, said last week that drought, water shortages, declining arable land, and flash floods were having a 'profound impact' on people's lives and the economy.
CTV News
28-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
The Taliban's top environment official wants the UN to include Afghanistan in climate talks
Matiul Haq Khalis, head of the National Environmental Protection Agency from Afghanistan, speaks to members of the media Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong) ISLAMABAD — The Taliban's top environment official on Monday called for Afghanistan's inclusion in UN climate talks, saying extreme weather and water scarcity are having a 'profound impact' on people's lives and the economy. A Taliban delegation attended last year's COP29 climate talks in Azerbaijan, but as observers. Matiul Haq Khalis, the head of the National Environmental Protection Agency, said the suspension of environmental protection projects after the Taliban takeover in 2021 had resulted in widespread harm to Afghans. Khalis said he wanted inclusion at COP30, which is being held in Brazil later this year. Russia is the only country to recognize the Taliban's government. 'Afghanistan is severely affected by climate change,' Khalis told a conference in Kabul. 'Drought, water shortages, declining arable land, flash floods, and threats to food security are having a profound impact on people's lives and the economy. 'Although Afghanistan's contribution to global climate change is almost nonexistent, it suffers greatly from its consequences.. As a victim of climate change, Afghanistan has the right to be present at global platforms, especially at COP30, to voice the damages it has endured.' Earlier this month, the UN published a report that said June was marked by below-average precipitation and higher-than-average temperatures across Afghanistan. By the end of May, the significant decline in soil moisture had already negatively affected the yield and productivity of rainfed wheat, according to the report from the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 'The current monsoon season has started earlier than usual, beginning in May instead of the typical June or July, and is more intense than in recent years. Forecasts indicate above-average rainfall in many regions.' In Baku last November, Khalis told The Associated Press that authorities had prepared national action plans to deal with climate change and would be updating their climate goals. He said the country had great potential for wind and solar power, but needed international support to develop it. The Associated Press
Yahoo
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The Taliban's top environment official wants the UN to include Afghanistan in climate talks
ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Taliban's top environment official on Monday called for Afghanistan's inclusion in U.N. climate talks, saying extreme weather and water scarcity are having a 'profound impact' on people's lives and the economy. A Taliban delegation attended last year's COP29 climate talks in Azerbaijan, but as observers. Matiul Haq Khalis, the head of the National Environmental Protection Agency, said the suspension of environmental protection projects after the Taliban takeover in 2021 had resulted in widespread harm to Afghans. Khalis said he wanted inclusion at COP30, which is being held in Brazil later this year. Russia is the only country to recognize the Taliban's government. 'Afghanistan is severely affected by climate change,' Khalis told a conference in Kabul. ' Drought, water shortages, declining arable land, flash floods, and threats to food security are having a profound impact on people's lives and the economy. 'Although Afghanistan's contribution to global climate change is almost nonexistent, it suffers greatly from its consequences.. As a victim of climate change, Afghanistan has the right to be present at global platforms, especially at COP30, to voice the damages it has endured.' Earlier this month, the U.N. published a report that said June was marked by below-average precipitation and higher-than-average temperatures across Afghanistan. By the end of May, the significant decline in soil moisture had already negatively affected the yield and productivity of rainfed wheat, according to the report from the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 'The current monsoon season has started earlier than usual, beginning in May instead of the typical June or July, and is more intense than in recent years. Forecasts indicate above-average rainfall in many regions.' In Baku last November, Khalis told The Associated Press that authorities had prepared national action plans to deal with climate change and would be updating their climate goals. He said the country had great potential for wind and solar power, but needed international support to develop it. Solve the daily Crossword
