Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 12 May 2023 – Under the auspices of HE Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser, President of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), an Implementation Partner (IP) agreement was signed today between the IsDB, as the Trustee of the Afghanistan Humanitarian Trust Fund (AHTF), and the World Food Programme (WFP) to provide life-saving food aid to the people of Afghanistan.

The IP agreement was signed by Eng. Mohammad J. Alsaati, Special Adviser to the IsDB President and AHTF Coordinator, and WFP  UAE Country Director and Representative for the GCC Region, Mageed Yahia on the sidelines of the 2023 IsDB Group Annual Meetings in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The signing event was attended by senior representatives from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief), Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), IsDB member countries, implementing partners, and other stakeholders, as well as guests.

IsDB President HE Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser said: “This is a landmark agreement, as it allows us to address the severe food insecurity the most vulnerable families in Afghanistan are grappling with. We are on track to providing food assistance to around 38,000 brothers and sisters in Afghanistan. I hope this project will lay the foundations and be a stepping-stone to enable the communities to seek alternate opportunities for self-reliance. AHTF was established to promote self-reliance, and together with other partners, we can reach that goal. On this occasion, I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center for their USD 10 million contributions to the AHTF.”

As per the IP Agreement, the AHTF will extend a grant of USD 3,221,985 to WFP to provide in-kind food rations to the poorest, vulnerable, and needy members of the community who are unable to afford their essentials. The AHTF grant funding comes from the contribution of KSrelief.

The AHTF grant will provide 2,987 metric tons (mt) of emergency food assistance to support 37,901 people (5,414 households) for six months. The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan has left many families grappling with severe food insecurity and an acute lack of access to essential resources due to extreme poverty, severely limiting their purchasing power. The project aims to provide food assistance to the vulnerable people in the country, especially in areas affected by acute food crises (owing to drought), and protect livelihoods from asset stripping and loss of human capital. In addition, the project is a good example of effective partnerships.

On the IP Agreement, Eng. Mohammad J. Alsaati, Special Adviser to the IsDB President and AHTF Coordinator, stated: “Our main objective is to provide critical humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan. We are thankful to the OIC for mobilizing grant contributions from donors to deliver essential humanitarian aid to those most in need. In collaboration with World Food Programme, we believe we can make a meaningful difference in alleviating the suffering of vulnerable individuals and families in Afghanistan.”

With this grant, AHTF is taking a critical step towards ensuring that the people of Afghanistan have access to the necessities needed for survival. This demonstrates a commitment to alleviating the suffering of those most affected by the crisis.

The AHTF serves as a vehicle to channel humanitarian assistance, address basic needs, and promote self-reliance and development in the country, following the decision of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC at its 17th Extraordinary Session held on 19 December 2021 in Islamabad, Pakistan.