KABUL - President Ashraf Ghani on Monday expressed concern over drought gripping 16 provinces, asking charity organizations to assist affected areas in coordination with his government.
The president said this while chairing a meeting at the Presidential Palace to coordinate humanitarian assistance and deal with drought.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of international aid organizations. President Ghani thanked charity organizations’ representatives for their assistance to drought-affected areas and requested them to pay more attention to the matter.
Ghani expressed concern over the drought that affected 16 provinces and livestock owners, saying that drought had caused more losses in Faryab and Jawzjan provinces compared to other parts of the country.
He said that the government had provided assistance to drought affected areas, but it was not enough.
Ghani also thanked security forces for their cooperation in drought and floods affected areas and requested international aid organizations to provide their assistance in coordination with the Afghan government.
Mujib Rahman Karimi, rural rehabilitation and development minister, who attended the meeting, presented information about a survey conducted about drought and its effects in the country.
Nasir Ahmad Durrani, agriculture minister, shared his ministry’s assessments in the 16 drought-affected provinces and suggestions how to deal with the problem.
UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, said: “We are seriously following this matter and we have dispatched our representatives to the affected areas.”