China supports WFP’s assistance to crisis-affected families in Afghanistan

BEIJING – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a contribution from the Government of the People’s Republic of China towards its emergency response in Afghanistan for 2023. The funding will enable WFP to provide life-saving food assistance to nearly 70,000 food-insecure people in areas struck by acute food insecurity.

“China and Afghanistan are good neighbours and friends. Since 2022, the Chinese government and people have donated large amounts of humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan to help the people overcome difficulties,” said Wand Yu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Afghanistan. “Having experienced war and famine, Chinese people know very well the importance of food, so this year China continues to cooperate with the World Food Programme to provide food assistance to the people of Afghanistan through the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund.”[PK1]

Generous contributions from donors since 2021 have allowed WFP and its partners to provide record levels of food and nutrition support and help avert a humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan. Over three million people are estimated to have been pulled back from the brink and the food security situation in the country has slightly improved. Still, nearly 15 million people are experiencing crisis and emergency levels of food insecurity.

“This year, WFP in Afghanistan is faced with an acute funding crisis and this timely contribution from the Chinese Government comes at a moment when continued support is most needed,” said Hsiao-Wei Lee, WFP Afghanistan Country Director and Representative. “Over 15 million people are estimated to be experiencing acute food insecurity across the country and sustained humanitarian assistance is needed to keep already worrying hunger and malnutrition rates from further increasing.”

Already this year, WFP was forced to cut back its ration size for all families and reduce the number of beneficiaries by 8 million people, due to lack of funding. With this latest contribution, WFP plans to buy nearly 1,500 metric tons (mt) of wheat flour, 185 mt of yellow split peas, more than 130 mt of vegetable oil as well as 15 mt of salt. This will allow WFP to support nearly 70,000 families for two months.

In Afghanistan in 2022, WFP reached 23 million people, distributed 1.14 million mt of food and US$ 325.8 million in cash transfers. Of the 23 million people assisted, 11.6 million were women and 12.3 million were children.