Countries Pledge $842M in Aid for Afghanistan at Brussels Meeting

Senior officials from various countries have pledged nearly $842 million to address the humanitarian emergency in Afghanistan during a meeting in Brussels.

At this meeting, hosted by the European Union to discuss engagement with Afghanistan, senior officials from several countries also announced that addressing Afghanistan’s situation is one of their priorities.

It has been said that this meeting also discussed progress in Afghanistan’s social and economic sectors.

Andreas Papaconstantinou, Director for Neighbourhood and Middle East for the European Commission, said that the Commission had very good discussions about delivering humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and the regional Afghan refugee crisis. It maintains support for Afghans, and donors have announced an amount of $841.9 million dollars to address humanitarian emergencies in this country.

The Ministry of Economy of the Islamic Emirate praised the countries’ commitment to helping the people of Afghanistan.

Abdul Rahman Habib, spokesperson for the Ministry of Economy, told TOLOnews: “In addition to humanitarian aid, supporting development projects can provide permanent employment opportunities for people and prevent poverty.”

“The main goal of humanitarian aid is to stand up, strengthen the economy, and reduce and eliminate poverty,” said Asif Nang, an economic analyst.

Meanwhile, a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar said that Faisal bin Abdullah Al Hanzab, special envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in a meeting of senior officials from various countries on Afghanistan, emphasized that Doha continues its efforts in various fields in Afghanistan through hosting meetings of special representatives for Afghanistan.

But how beneficial is the presence of an Islamic Emirate representative at these meetings?

“Members of Afghanistan [representatives from Afghanistan] should participate in these meetings and convey the realities to them; otherwise, we have a long experience with special representatives, and what happens in Afghanistan does not reach the ears of the people,” Mohammad Mateen Mohammadi, a political and military analyst, told TOLOnews.

Meanwhile, the European Union has recently announced the allocation of $150 million euros to Afghans inside and outside Afghanistan. In a statement, the European Union said that this aid will continue to provide food, shelter, and health services to the most vulnerable citizens of Afghanistan.