KABUL (Pajhwok Afghan News) – The emergency commission on Saturday said Afghanistan needed $471 mln for humanitarian assistance during the current year. The UN humanitarian affairs department also asked for assistance to the country, saying that eight million Afghans needed urgent aid.

Wais Ahmad Barmak

With the cooperation of the UN body, the commission had prepared a one-year plan for saving the lives of people facing natural disasters and reduction of mother and infant mortality rate.

Part of the money would be spent on rehabilitating displaced and returning families, environment protection and dealing with emergency situations, Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development Wais Ahmad Barmak (ویس احمد برمک).

Also the deputy head of the commission, Wais urged the international community at a media briefing in Kabul to provide necessary assistance to Afghanistan.

UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Mark Bowden said that eight million Afghans, especially residents of Helmand, Nuristan, Paktia, Paktika and Zabul provinces, urgently needed humanitarian aid.

There had been many human crises in the restive provinces, whose residents were faced with a variety of problems, he noted, saying the internally displaced persons and returnees needed attention.