The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said it has provided food assistance to 3,000 needy families in Kabul with the cooperation of China.
Officials at the ministry say that the aid was distributed fairly to the families based on a survey conducted by the ministry. “The aid has reached the deserving people. We thank China and ask them to continue their aid and increase the amount of their aid,” said Arsalan Kharoti, deputy Minister of Refugees and Repatriations.
Meanwhile, China says it has delivered 3,800 tons of food aid to Afghanistan in the past eight months. “This round of aid that has reached Afghanistan so far is our aid this year, with 3,800 tons delivered and the rest is coming soon,” said China’s special adviser to Afghanistan.
The needy families praised the distribution of the aid, but say it is not sufficient. “I am the breadwinner of a family of 12 members. I am a worker,” said Abdul Bari, a person in need.
“There is no oil or flour or other ingredients, rice cannot be eaten with water,” said Mohammad Ayoub, a Kabul resident. Although aid agencies have provided humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in recent months, they have not been able to alleviate poverty in the country.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Economy says that these institutions are separate from the United Nations institutions and if all the aid is distributed evenly, the cost of aid projects will be reduced and the aid will be distributed to needy people.
“Our emphasis is more on aid being coordinated by government departments to reduce project costs and to reach the needy people,” said Abdul Rahman Habib, spokesman for the Ministry of Economy.
According to the Ministry of Economy, 45 aid agencies have so far distributed humanitarian aid to three million people in the country.
In the meantime, some economists believe that lack of coordination in the distribution of humanitarian aid will reduce effectiveness.
“Lack of coordination in the delivery of aid will increase the cost of aid and reduce its effectiveness, and will not reach those in need and reduce poverty,” said Mir Shakib, an economist.
The Ministry of Finance has recently set up a committee to coordinate and monitor humanitarian aid so that it can be distributed to the real needy in the country. But so far no government agency has any real figures on the amount of humanitarian aid.
