On Monday, the Czech government approved humanitarian aid for Afghanistan amounting to CZK 75 million. The money will go to health care, aid for women and children, and to support neighboring states in the region.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposed to provide CZK 40 million, which the government already approved in July, to support the Afghan defense and security forces and the country’s sustainable development.

The Ministry will also provide another CZK 5 million from its budget, while the Ministry of the Interior will send the remaining CZK 30 million.

The money will be distributed in cooperation mainly with the European Union and the United Nations.

Of the sum, CZK 20 million will go to the programs of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The finances should help with stabilizing and supporting the internally displaced population in Afghanistan and Afghan refugees in Iran, Pakistan, and the countries of Central Asia.

Another CZK 15 million will go to support the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Afghanistan along with programs aimed at protecting women and children from violence and responding to the coronavirus pandemic. With the remaining CZK 10 million, the Ministry proposes to support the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to stabilize and support various sources of livelihood for the country’s population.

“Current political and security developments in Afghanistan are exacerbating the humanitarian situation there. Assisting Afghanistan has two priorities. Mitigating the humanitarian crisis and preventing illegal migration,” said Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhánek.

“Together with our foreign partners, we are doing our utmost to ensure that aid is not misused and goes directly to people in need in Afghanistan. That is why we are cooperating with the UN,” he added.

Part of the Ministry of the Interior’s contribution will go to the program of primary health care for the people of Afghanistan through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

With the amount of CZK 25 million, the Czech Republic will support the emerging regional European Union’s initiative called Team Europe for Afghanistan and neighboring countries.