Turkey will provide an additional $5 million in aid to Afghanistan, the Turkish deputy foreign minister announced Thursday, saying Ankara will continue to stand with the Afghan people.
Speaking at a United Nations high-level pledging conference, Sedat Önal said it is in the common interest of all nations to stabilize Afghanistan, warning that "spillover effects from mass migration to terrorism will be felt widely."
Önal said Turkey dispatched three charity trains containing humanitarian aid worth $15 million and contributed an additional $3 million to the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) special trust funds to support health and education.
"While absolutely crucial, humanitarian aid alone cannot turn the tide. Functioning institutions and economy are essential for stability," said the diplomat.
Turkey's fourth "Kindness Train" carrying humanitarian aid to war-torn Afghanistan departed from the capital Ankara on Wednesday.
The initiative has been organized with the support of 25 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that came together under the coordination of the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). The train will deliver 1,478 tons of aid materials to Afghanistan.
Some 2,663 tons of humanitarian aid has so far been delivered with this project aboard seven trains across three trips in January and February.
Aid groups describe Afghanistan's plight as one of the world's most rapidly growing humanitarian crises. According to the United Nations, half the population now faces acute hunger, over 9 million people have been displaced and millions of children are out of school.
Previously, the U.N. and its partners launched a $4.4 billion funding appeal to avert a humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan in 2022. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also warned that millions of Afghans are on the verge of death, urging the international community to release Afghanistan's frozen assets and jump-start its banking system.
Turning to the Taliban's restrictions on girls' education, Önal reiterated Ankara's call for the interim government to reverse "this unfortunate decision and allow girls of all ages to take part in education in an inclusive manner."
He urged "gradual engagement with the interim government and try to steer them in the right direction. We should also try to reach out to Afghan people directly," he added.
Last month, Turkey called on the Taliban-led interim government in Afghanistan to allow girls of all ages to attend school after the latter announced a decision to suspend education for female students after the sixth grade.
The Taliban returned to power after 20 years of war when foreign forces left Afghanistan last August. The withdrawal resulted in a collapse of the U.S.-backed Kabul administration, paving the way for the Taliban to enter the capital city. After their takeover, the Taliban said they have asked all countries, primarily Turkey, to help the Afghan people and Afghanistan.
The Turkish government has taken a pragmatic approach to the recent events in Afghanistan. Underlining that new realities have emerged in the country, Ankara said it will move forward accordingly while keeping communication with all relevant actors open. Turkey has been holding regular talks with the Taliban in Kabul, where it still has a diplomatic presence, about the conditions under which it could help operate the Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport.
The high-level pledging conference is seeking $4.4 billion for Afghanistan, where U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said people are selling their children and body parts to feed themselves.
