Nepal sending humanitarian assistance materials to Afghanistan today

Kathmandu, 16 January (2022) - The government is sending humanitarian assistance materials to the citizens of Afghanistan on behalf of Nepali people today. The assistance materials including clothing, medicines and utensils weighing around 12 tonnes will be sent to Kabul through a flight of the Himalaya Airlines under the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the Ministry. 

The humanitarian assistance package means moral responsibilities of Nepal as a member state of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to help others in need, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Narayan Khadka told Rastriya Samachar Samiti. 

The materials will be handed over through the representatives of the United Nations in Afghanistan today itself, he said. 

"We have taken assistances from various nations and donor agencies during big natural disasters. This humanitarian assistance package sends a message that Nepal does not only receive assistances during disasters, but does not shy away from helping other nations in need." 

Saying that this is an important mission and campaign in view of international relations, the minister said that the UN, industrialists, businesspersons, the Airlines and Nepal Oil Corporation have helped with this campaign by donating the materials. 

"I came up with the idea of helping Afghan citizens after seeing their problems in media from the beginning. For this, I took initiatives through various diplomatic channels. So this campaign moved ahead through the Cabinet of the Government of Nepal. I consulted with ambassadors of various countries on the matter beforehand," he said.

For taking the materials to Afghanistan, Nepal has received air route permits from Pakistan and Airspace of India. 

The team that will carry the materials to Afghanistan includes high ranking officials of the Ministry, representatives of business community and media-persons.