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EU announces 3.5 million euros in aid for victims of Herat earthquake
Following the deadly earthquake that hit western Afghanistan this weekend, the EU announced Tuesday it will provide emergency humanitarian aid for an amount of €3.5 million (approximately 280 million Afghanis) to address the most urgent needs of the affected people.
The EU said currently, the main needs are emergency shelter, medical relief items, and access to safe drinking water and sanitation in an area that has been recently affected by droughts.
This new assistance comes in addition to the €89 million in humanitarian aid already allocated by the EU in 2023 for humanitarian organizations in the country.
“The recent earthquake in Afghanistan comes to add suffering to a population which was already facing a dire humanitarian situation. The EU will continue supporting the Afghan people, mobilizing the different tools we have at our disposal. This aid package, worth €3.5 million, will bring much needed relief to the victims of this devastating disaster,” Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, said.
Director-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, Maciej Popowski said: “The EU’s emergency funding of €3.5 million is our expression of solidarity with the Afghan people. Being myself here in Herat, I am shocked by the earthquake’s devastating human impact. In these trying times I commend the work of our humanitarian partners and first responders working tirelessly to save lives”.
The EU Chargée d’Affaires to Afghanistan, Raffaella Iodice, said: “This morning, I traveled to Herat and I am witnessing the sheer destruction and human suffering caused by this powerful earthquake. The EU aid package of €3.5 million will enable our humanitarian partners to ramp up their support to survivors of the disaster. The EU and humanitarian partners stand in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan”.
Ten people were killed by unknown individuals in Afghanistan’s northern Baghlan province on Thursday night, police said on Friday.
The incident happened as the victims were doing Zikr at a mosque in Shahr-e-Kuhna of Nahrin district, police said in a statement.
The statement said that they used to regularly go to mosques and monasteries at night after returning from work.
Abdul Ghayoor Khadim, a provincial police official, said that several people were arrested in connection with the incident, adding that an investigation was launched.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Serdar Muhammetdurdiyev on Thursday met with Chinese special envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan announced.
During the meeting, the sides discussed priority vectors of strategic interstate cooperation built on a long-term, mutually beneficial basis, as well as exchanged views on the implementation of previously reached agreements.
It was noted that personal contacts between the leaders of the two countries play a key role in intensifying the interstate dialogue, which give a strong impulse to further development and expansion of Turkmen-Chinese ties.
It was emphasized that Turkmenistan considers multilateral international platforms for maintaining stability in Afghanistan as an important factor in promoting sustainable improvement of socio-economic state of the neighboring country. The sides exchanged views on the preparations to the 5th meeting of Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan's Neighboring States to be held in Turkmenistan.
The interlocutors reaffirmed that Turkmenistan and China will continue to provide all-round support for the economic restoration of Afghanistan.
The U.S. House Of Representatives has passed a legislation on evacuation of Afghans who assisted Americans during the 20-year war in Afghanistan.
“The passage of the CARE Authorization Act of 2024 further underscores the commitment made by the U.S. government to safeguard those who served shoulder-to-shoulder with our personnel during the twenty-year mission in Afghanistan,” Congresswoman Dina Titus said in a statement.
“The State Department has made it clear: There is no deadline for the crucial job of protecting Afghan allies. By authorizing the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts at the State Department, we can more effectively relocate and resettle those who have qualified to immigrate to the U.S. as a result of their service to this country.”
In 2022 the State Department established a specialized office called the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE) to streamline and coordinate the ongoing relocation and resettlement process for eligible Afghans from Afghanistan and Pakistan to the United States.
The CARE Authorization Act of 2024 will formally authorize the CARE office at the State Department for three years and grant important authorities to advance its mission. These include an extension of authorities to enter into personal services contracts as well as measures to streamline the transfer of funds to and from other agencies involved in the Afghan relocation mission.
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