Japan to allocate $109 mn in aid to Afghanistan, neighbouring countries

Japan will allocate about 109 million US dollars from the country's supplementary budget to assist Afghanistan and its neighbouring countries to address the humanitarian crisis in the region, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

"On December 20, the Government of Japan decided to contribute a total of approximately 109 million US dollars from the FY2021 supplementary budget to Afghanistan and its neighbouring countries to address the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan," Sputnik citing ministry statement read.

Tokyo intends to provide assistance to address humanitarian needs in such areas as healthcare, food, nutrition, water, sanitation and livelihood improvement.

According to Sputnik news agency, the funds will be allocated through 16 international organizations, including UN agencies, International Committee of the Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, International Organization for Migration, World Health Organization and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

The statement read that 100 million US dollars will be allocated to Afghanistan, 4.01 million US dollars to Iran, 3.72 million US dollars to Pakistan, 0.99 million US dollars to Tajikistan and 0.43 million US dollars to Uzbekistan, it added further.

A senior UN rights official has emphasised that respect for fundamental rights and freedoms by authorities in Afghanistan is critical to ensuring stability in the country.

"How the de facto authorities - indeed, and the international community - address the drastic economic and humanitarian crises in the country will determine Afghans' enjoyment of human rights, now and into the future," said Nada Al-Nashif, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, during a press briefing.

"They will mark the difference between potential lives of dignity and well-being - or accelerating deprivation, injustice and tragic loss of life."

This comes amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan that is threatening basic rights, with women, girls, and civil society among those most affected.