Connect with us

Latest News

WFP expands school feeding scheme in Afghanistan with help of EU

Published

on

(Last Updated On: )

The European Union is allocating an additional EUR 10 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) for school feeding activities in Afghanistan.

This will allow WFP to expand school feeding into three additional provinces with high levels of food insecurity in primary schools, the organization said Wednesday in a statement.

“Hunger can be a barrier to education. The additional EU funding to our long-standing partner WFP ensures that more children in Afghanistan receive nutritious food. This is essential for them to have the energy and focus they need to learn effectively and stay healthy.

“And if these meals encourage parents to prioritize school attendance, this is benefiting everyone”, said Raffaella Iodice, EU Chargée d’Affaires to Afghanistan.

Thanks to the additional EU funding, WFP will be able to distribute fortified biscuits or locally produced nutritious school snacks to pupils in more than 10,000 schools in the eight provinces of Farah, Ghor, Jawzjan, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Paktika, Uruzgan and Zabul.

In addition, school girls in grades 4 to 6 will receive take-home rations including vegetable oil or cash for their families. In three provinces with especially low enrolment rates for boys, boys in grades 4 to 6 will receive take-home rations. These rations improve the nutrition of the whole family and encourage families to keep children in school.

“WFP in Afghanistan launched its school feeding programme more than two decades ago to link food security and better nutrition with education”, said Hsiao-Wei Lee, WFP Country Director in Afghanistan.

“Last year, WFP supported 1.5 million school-aged children through this programme and the European Union has been a key partner in helping us reach them.”

Expanding the range of in-school meals, WFP will for the first time in Afghanistan test the local production of vegetarian samosas from fortified local ingredients through a network of local bakeries.

A planned 2,000 children will receive two samosas per school day baked with pumpkin, spinach or egg, and potato or soya beans, as a protein-rich and nutritious snack.

In Afghanistan, school feeding activities have had a positive impact on school participation and learning and help families enroll and keep their children in schools.

For poor families globally, the value of meals in schools can be up to one tenth of household income, and several children enrolled in a school can translate into substantial savings for the family.

This latest top-up by the EU follows an earlier contribution of EUR 20.9 million towards WFP’s school feeding programme in Afghanistan for the years 2022 and 2023.

The funding comes at a timely moment and averts WFP having to downsize its school feeding programme this year due to lack of funding.

Latest News

Chinese, Turkmen officials discuss foreign ministers’ meeting of Afghanistan’s neighbors

Turkmenistan and China confirmed that they will continue to provide full support for the economic recovery of Afghanistan, adhering to the principles of friendship and good neighborliness.

Published

on

(Last Updated On: )

China’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, has met with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Akhmed Gurbanov, in Ashgabat, discussing the fight meeting of foreign ministers of countries neighboring Afghanistan.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the parties also discussed the state and prospects for the development of Turkmen-Chinese interaction. Key aspects of the international and regional agenda were reviewed.

The progress of preparations for the 5th meeting of the foreign ministers of countries neighboring Afghanistan, which will be held in Turkmenistan this year, was discussed.

In conclusion, the parties confirmed that Turkmenistan and China will continue to provide full support for the economic recovery of Afghanistan, adhering to the principles of friendship and good neighborliness.

 

Continue Reading

Latest News

IEA delegation leaves Kabul for Qatar

Published

on

(Last Updated On: )

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid heading a delegation left Kabul on Saturday to attend the third Doha meeting in Qatar, Mujahid said posting a picture on his X platform.

The third UN-sponsored meeting on Afghanistan is scheduled to begin tomorrow (Sunday) in the Qatari capital Doha.

Special representatives of countries for Afghanistan are expected to attend the meeting.

Mujahid will lead IEA’s six-member delegation at the meeting. The delegation includes representatives of IEA’s political office in Qatar, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the counter-narcotics deputyship of the Interior Ministry and Da Afghanistan Bank.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Afghanistan’s exports reach $304 million in first quarter of 1403: MoIC

Akhundzadeh said that most of these exports were made to Pakistan, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, India, Austria, Uzbekistan, Russia and other countries.

Published

on

(Last Updated On: )

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce spokesman Abdulsalam Javad Akhundzadeh says Afghanistan’s exports carried out regularly in the first three months of 1403 solar year and $304 million have been exported during this period.

Akhundzadeh said that most of these exports were made to Pakistan, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, India, Austria, Uzbekistan, Russia and other countries.

“Afghanistan’s exports and imports during the first quarter of 1403 solar year were about two billion and 577 million dollars, of which 304 million dollars were exports and 2.273 million dollars were imports,” he said.

Meanwhile, members of the private sector asked MoIC to provide more facilities in the field of transportation to increase the country’s exports.

“As much as the facilities are provided to the traders, they can take advantage of these good opportunities,” said Mirwais Hajizadeh, deputy of the Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock.

Economic experts believe that the more Afghan products are marketed in the world markets, the more exports will increase and will positively affect the country’s economic situation.

Earlier, the Islamic Emirate repeatedly emphasized that it has an economy-oriented policy and is trying to become a connecting point in the region in addition to increasing the export of Afghan goods to different countries.

Related stories: 

Afghanistan reaches self-sufficiency in production of 133 items: MoIC

Process of exporting fresh fruit to world markets kicks off: MoIC

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright © 2022 Ariana News. All rights reserved!