WFP Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau visits Afghanistan, reaffirms WFP's commitment to the Afghan people
KABUL – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer Carl Skau visited Afghanistan last week to see first-hand WFP’s operations in one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. He witnessed the impact of the latest restrictions on women’s employment and of an acute funding crisis which recently forced WFP to cut rations and drastically reduce the number of people it serves with lifesaving assistance.
“It is clear that WFP programmes save lives in Afghanistan every day. Widows at food distribution sites told me how critical WFP’s assistance is for them and their children, and farmers showed me how community assets they built with WFP’s support protect their fields from devastating floods and drought,” said Carl Skau. “I met strong Afghan women in vocational trainings who can now earn money to support and buy food for their families.”
During the five-day mission, Skau travelled to Bagrami district in Kabul Province and Charikar City in Parwan Province to visit ongoing WFP activities. In the capital, Kabul, he met the UN leadership in Afghanistan, diplomats and NGOs. In his meetings with representatives of the de facto authorities in Afghanistan, he emphasized the crucial role women play in supporting WFP’s response to reach the most vulnerable women and girls.
“The men and women colleagues from WFP and our partner NGOs whom I met are all deeply dedicated to their work and committed to our goal of saving and changing lives,” said Skau. “We will continue to work towards the full participation of women staff across our response, and to ensure that Afghan girls, boys, women and men in need have equal access to WFP’s assistance.”
Over 15 million people in Afghanistan are estimated to be experiencing acute food insecurity with 2.8 million people in ‘emergency’ levels of hunger. On top of a severe economic and humanitarian crisis, communities are further battered by a severe weather. Every year, extreme weather has a devastating impact on millions of people across the country.
In addition, rations have had to be reduced for people even in the areas with the highest levels of food insecurity, and 8 million highly vulnerable people will no longer receive WFP’s emergency assistance due to funding shortfalls. WFP urgently needs US$918 million to maintain operations for the coming six months.
Concluding his mission to Afghanistan, Skau called for continued support to humanitarian assistance for the people in Afghanistan. “The world cannot turn its back on the people of Afghanistan. We must find ways to ensure a safe and conducive environment for women and men staff but without sufficient funds, we cannot deliver the assistance desperately needed by girls, boys, women and men across the country.”
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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
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