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Afghanistan: Border with Pakistan closed for over two months; relief supplies delayed

Страны
Афганистан
+ 2
Источники
OCHA
Дата публикации

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Some 6,000 people newly displaced in January due to conflict and security, down from last month.

  • 45% increase in conflict induced IDP’s compared to January 2011

  • Avalanches kill 43 people and injure 65 in Badakhshan and kill two people in Daykundi

  • Humanitarian Coordinator launches the 2012 CAP

Relief supplies delayed in Pakistan

Border closed for over two months

Since 26 November 2011 the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan has been closed to the humanitarian community following a security incident killing 24 Pakistani soldiers. Since that time, a number of high level interventions have been made toward the Government of Pakistan to open the border without success.

The closure is expected to delay emergency preparedness and response in Afghanistan as humanitarian organizations continue to deplete their existing stocks. Materials are coming in through alternatives routes but it is taking longer and is much more costly.
The bulk of supplies are humanitarian or development goods for direct distribution to vulnerable Afghans. Hundreds of thousands dollars of consumable materials (animal feed, medicines and other nutritional supplements) are expiring while much needed nonfood items such as shelter, blankets and clothing will not make their way to communities suffering from the cold, harsh winter.

The Nutrition Cluster reports that as of 31 January 2012, there are no new stocks of F100 or F75, special milk-based therapeutic feed for severely malnourished children. Clinics only have what is remaining in their stores. The available stock of Plumpy’nut for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition is expected to run out by the end of February.

The Food Security and Agriculture Cluster reports that FAO has 201 containers with animal feed stuck in Pakistan, to be distributed to 27,500 households of farmers in drought-affected provinces in the north, north-east, west and central highlands areas of the country.

The humanitarian community continues to implement a number of alternatives to respond to the situation, including redirecting existing stocks to those areas with the most acute humanitarian needs, buying new supplies or redirecting those shipments that were en route to Pakistan through alternative crossings from Iran, India and Turkmenistan or by air from the United Arab Emirates.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.