Her Excellency Ms. Lulwa bint Rashid Al-Khater, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed that Qatar is making every effort to accommodate civilians as more individuals arrive from Afghanistan. She highlighted that Doha is working on providing essential needs for arrivals, such as food, medical assistance, and logistical support to ensure their stay before transitioning to the countries that will host them. She explained that Doha is trying to respond to the humanitarian situation and has allocated one of the World Cup buildings to welcome the newcomers.
In an interview with Sky News, she stated, "We did not anticipate this number of infants, children, and pregnant women, and we are trying to deal with the situation." She added, "Everyone was talking about a timeline that could extend for weeks or months, but then overnight everyone was surprised by what happened, and we have to deal with the situation." Al-Khater clarified that Qatar is prepared to continue mediating in the Afghan crisis as long as all parties wish for it, especially since several countries have called on Doha to maintain its role in advancing negotiations to find a solution to the Afghan conflict, emphasizing that Qatar's role is pivotal in the negotiations. She noted that Qatar has facilitated the safe evacuation of more than 40,000 individuals and remains a trusted mediator in this conflict.
As reported by the British channel, Doha is already mediating between the Taliban and Afghan government officials concerning the next steps regarding who will manage Kabul Airport. The report noted that Qatar has proven to be an important player in the humanitarian crisis. It has allocated accommodation built for the World Cup to shelter civilians. Doha has contributed to transferring tens of thousands of people to safety. It is crucial that international efforts now also focus on those left behind. It is evident that few countries, if any, were prepared for what has occurred and able to provide relief assistance as Qatar has done.
A Sky News correspondent wrote describing one of the evacuation flights: At the airbase in Al Udeid, Qatar, a C17 aircraft opens its doors to a new life. A sea of faces greets us, some smile with relief, others look devastated, and nearly all appear exhausted. There are many children and several infants, some in wheelchairs. It is a three-hour flight here from Kabul, but beforehand, we know that there were days of struggle. One Afghan teenager, 16 years old, paused to tell me he is very happy to be here. This is his first time on an airplane... what a first flight it is.
She continued: The Qatari crew carries a child in a wheelchair down the ramp. There is a glimmer of hope amid the sorrow. This military effort is a massive humanitarian mission. There is no maximum number of flights the Qataris send, and when they arrive in Kabul, it is never clear how many people they will bring back, it simply aims to evacuate as many people as possible. However, for those still awaiting to depart, the window for evacuation is closing quickly. There are thousands at the airport hoping to leave before the deadline, and for anyone not already present, it may be too late.
### Humanitarian Crisis
David Beasley, head of the World Food Programme, told Sky News about the plight of the Afghan people: "Either they will starve or leave. If you want to repeat what happened in Syria... ignore Afghanistan." WFP staff continue to operate in Afghanistan, but warnings are sounding about running out of funds to feed people as soon as next month. He added, "There could be unprecedented famine in Afghanistan. If we don’t receive funds, if there is no economic recovery plan sooner or later." He continued, "We already know that among 40 million people, 14 million are heading towards famine."
World Food Programme Executive Director David Beasley warned of dwindling humanitarian aid stocks for Afghan residents and confirmed that instability and drought are driving up prices amidst the urgent need for $200 million to reach 14 million people by the end of 2021. The United Nations Media Center stated that the UN official appealed to international donors to increase funding to support millions relying on the World Food Programme for food, noting that the program aims to assist nine million people monthly by November; however, to meet these increasing needs, food stockpiling must occur inside the country and at strategic border points before snowfall.
According to the UN agency, one in three Afghans, or 14 million people, are suffering from hunger, while two million children are malnourished and need urgent treatment. Additionally, more than half a million people have been displaced this year, in addition to 2.9 million people already displaced within Afghanistan. This year's severe drought, the second in three years, has devastated crops, leading to increased food insecurity as over 40 percent of the country's harvest has been lost due to drought this year.
