Member States Briefing on the Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan
Wednesday, 1 February 2023, from 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Conference Room 3, United Nations Headquarters
Statement by Italy
Thank you very much Martin [Griffiths], we appreciate very much your engagement, your mission very timely there, and of course your briefing.
Italy has been long engaged in Afghanistan. As you know, in the immediate aftermath of the fall of Kabul in 2021 we provided 150 million euros to contribute to the humanitarian response in the Country and in the region and last year, we continued to assure our assistance to the Afghan people by allocating 40 million euros to humanitarian initiatives.
Of course, as it has been said by other colleagues, the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan remains extremely dire, we are very worried, and we know it is set to worsen with the winter.
In particular, the most recent news regarding the exclusion of Afghan women from participating in aid delivery is very worrisome and will certainly reduce the operational capacity for aid delivery. For that reason, Italy as well strongly calls upon the de facto authorities to reconsider their decision that will negatively affect also men and children.
Women are not only among the main beneficiaries of humanitarian aid, but also play a critical role in delivering it. They must be allowed to resume their work.
The question to you is inevitable: how do you think we can better really leverage the continuation of humanitarian assistance to change even incrementally the attitude of the de facto authorities in Afghanistan to this regard?
Thank you.
