The high-level virtual pledging event convened by UN Secretary-General Guterres and co-hosted by Qatar, the United Kingdom and Germany was intended to draw attention to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, express solidarity with the Afghan people and call for unhindered humanitarian access to the affected population. It also provided an opportunity to strengthen the response from the international donor community.

State Secretary Dr Raščan voiced concern over the increasing humanitarian needs of the people in Afghanistan and the crisis turning into a humanitarian disaster. He pointed out that in these circumstances, it is paramount to ensure respect for humanitarian principles, humanitarian access to reach vulnerable populations and the safety of humanitarian workers.

Twenty-five million people in Afghanistan need emergency humanitarian assistance to survive, of whom nearly 10 million are children. Slovenia’s pledge will build on the existing efforts, including emergency assistance, announced by Slovenia at the ministerial meeting in September 2021, and the project of supporting the Mine Detection Center Polyclinic in Kabul that has been implemented by ITF Enhancing Human Security since 2016.