Afghanistan Peace CampaignRichard Bennett has described the recent floods in the country as indicative of Afghanistan’s vulnerability to climate change.
The spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate, expressing sympathy with the families of the victims in the provinces of Baghlan, Takhar, Badakhshan, Ghor, and Herat, stated that in an emergency meeting held to address the damages, directions have been given to the government ministries in charge of disaster response, internal affairs, public health, and local authorities to use all available resources to rescue the people.
Zabihullah Mujahid stated, “The Ministry of Disaster Management, as well as other relevant ministries including the Ministry of Health, have been ordered to fully address the needs of the disaster-stricken areas and to expedite aid to the region.”
Meanwhile, the former president Hamid Karzai, and Abdullah Abdullah, the head of the High Council for National Reconciliation in the former government, have called on businesses and aid organizations to urgently assist those affected by the floods.
The former President wrote, “I extend my condolences to the families of the victims and hope that aid organizations and national traders will assist the affected families.”
Abdullah Abdullah also wrote about the event, “We expect aid organizations and agencies to rush to assist the victims and strive to provide them with the basic necessities.”
On the other hand, the UN Human Rights Council’s Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan, the U.S. Special Representative for Human Rights and Women for Afghanistan, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, and the Chargé d’Affaires of the European Union have also expressed their sympathy for the flood victims in Afghanistan.
Richard Bennett has described the recent floods in the country as indicative of Afghanistan’s vulnerability to climate change.
Bennett said, “Recent floods in Afghanistan including Baghlan which claimed many lives, are a stark reminder of Afghanistan’s vulnerability to the climate crisis & both immediate aid and long term planning by the Taliban & international actors are needed. Condolences to the families of vicitims.”
The US special envoy for Afghan human rights and women, Rina Amiri, has asked the caretaker government to utilize the capabilities of all community members to counter the damage caused by climate change.
Amiri added, “My heart goes out to the victims of the recent flooding in Afghanistan which took numerous lives & caused significant damage. To tackle the ravages of climate change, the Taliban must leverage the power of the entire population & remove crippling restrictions on women & girls.”
Abdul Zuhoor Mudabir, an economic affairs expert, told TOLOnews, “Floods are a natural disaster that can negatively impact the economy, therefore it is the responsibility of the government, donor institutions, and traders not to leave the affected people alone.”
The recent floods in the country have caused extensive casualties and severe financial damage to the citizens. These floods have mostly occurred in remote villages, leaving the people in dire need of assistance as they lose their homes and possessions.