Highlights
On 19 September, Ashraf Ghani, the President of Afghanistan, addressed the UN General Assembly in New York and called for UN reform towards unified partnerships with host governments and for increased accountability to governments and populations.
WFP launched preparation for a new Country Strategic Plan (CSP). The CSP will define WFP’s strategy to support the country’s efforts to achieve zero hunger by 2030.
Analysis of clashes in September point towards a deterioration in security over the coming months.
In August, WFP reached 484,691 vulnerable Afghans affected by conflict, natural disasters, economic stress seasonal food insecurity and malnutrition.
Operational Updates
WFP started internal and external consultations to develop a new Country Strategic Plan. On 20 September, WFP Afghanistan held a workshop bringing together WFP staff to explore how WFP can best support Government plans to achieve zero hunger.
In July, WFP distributed 2,596mt of WFP food and USD 699,512 of cash-based transfers to 484,691 food-insecure people in Afghanistan. This includes 111,000 malnourished children under 5 years and pregnant and nursing women, 89,000 girls and 91,000 boys in school and 59,000 food-insecure people in natural disaster prone rural regions.
WFP’s mobile vulnerability analysis and mapping unit (mVAM) published an Emergency Market Assessment Bulletin for Sayad district of Saripul province and Qush Tepa district of Jawzjan province, both in the Northern Region. The mVAM unit conducted the assessment between 28 and 29 August, interviewing 20 key informants, mainly traders, Community Development Council members and leaders of women’s Shuras.
The report found that access to both districts is severely restricted and conflict has displaced some families to the district centres. Lack of access has prevented traders from coming to market, thus creating food shortages and raising prices. Read the full report here: https://goo.gl/3Bg6vfUN agencies strengthen joint programming to enhance accountability to affected populations. WFP, UNOPS, IOM and UNHCR will run an Interagency Information Centre for Afghanistan to improve the flow of information and accountability to affected populations. The call centre, staffed by both men and women, will provide one platform through which affected populations can both provide and receive information on UN activities.
From 17-20 September WFP’s logistics team trained 13 government employees from the Eastern Region in warehouse management and food quality control to enhance their capacity to manage the Government’s Strategic Grain Reserve.
The United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), part of WFP, transported 1,637 aid workers and 4.8mt of light cargo. In Afghanistan, 160 organizations rely on UNHAS to reach populations in need.
Challenges
Deteriorating security situation: Previously competing anti-government elements (AGEs) coordinated attacks on government positions in the provinces of Ghor (10 September) and Parwan (29 September). Collaboration among AGEs will be detrimental to security and may lead to increased displacement and limited humanitarian space.
Access challenges: 10,300 people targeted by WFP for assistance remain out of reach in the Northeastern Region, down from 50,500 last month, following efforts from WFP access teams.
Funding shortage: WFP urgently needs USD 36.5 million to respond to the most urgent needs of highly vulnerable displaced populations affected by conflict and returnees until the end of the year.