HIGHLIGHTS
• Humanitarian agencies continue to provide assistance to vulnerable individuals affected by severe winter weather
• Conflict and insecurity continue to generate displacement and prevent returns
• USAID has provided $23.3 million to Afghanistan in FY 2013
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
• The U.N. estimates that 2 million Afghans—including nearly 32,500 individuals residing in Kabul Informal Settlements (KIS), as well as people living in other informal urban settlements and remote areas of the country—may be vulnerable to cold, disease, and malnutrition during the 2012/2013 winter season. The international humanitarian community, in coordination with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA), is taking steps to help vulnerable communities withstand the effects of extreme winter conditions.
• On January 26, the U.N. officially launched the 2013 Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP) for Afghanistan. Through the CHAP, U.N. agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are requesting approximately $471 million to address the humanitarian needs of populations affected by the ongoing complex emergency and natural disasters in the country. Building upon appeals from previous years, the 2013 CHAP streamlines the process in an effort to increase efficiency, improve coordination, and encourage humanitarian and donor participation.
• Through approximately $3.3 million in FY 2013 assistance and more than $29 million in ongoing FY 2012 funding, USAID/OFDA continues to address the humanitarian needs of conflict- and disaster-affected Afghan populations. In addition, USAID/FFP has contributed $20 million to date in FY 2013 and $62.5 million in ongoing FY 2012 assistance to meet the food needs of vulnerable populations.