UN refugee agency seeks over $250 million for looming crisis in Afghanistan

Preparing for a large-scale humanitarian emergency in and around Afghanistan, the United Nations refugee agency today said it needed $252 million to respond to the needs of those affected by the crisis.

In a funding appeal presented by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to donors in Geneva today, the agency said it was preparing for an influx of up to 1 million refugees into Pakistan, 400,000 into Iran, 50,000 into Tajikistan, and 50,000 into Turkmenistan. UNHCR was also making additional contingency plans to supply aid to half a million people inside Afghanistan, if the need arises.

"These figures are based on the worst-case scenario, but then we simply must be prepared for the worst," said High Commissioner Ruud Lubbers.

UNHCR said it could dispatch up to 700 international and local personnel to deal with the looming crisis, in addition to more than 500 staff already working in countries neighbouring Afghanistan. Most would be stationed in Pakistan and Iran, while some would be sent to the Central Asian republics of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

So far a relatively small number of people have tried to leave Afghanistan, mostly for Pakistan, UNHCR said. It noted, however, that the anticipation of a possible punitive action against the Taliban has led to considerable new displacement within Afghanistan, which had nearly 1 million internally displaced people even before recent developments. Agency officials fear that any action in Afghanistan could send large numbers of people fleeing towards neighbouring countries.

"Today, we are witnessing an unprecedented global effort to combat terrorism," Mr. Lubbers noted. "We need a similarly unique effort to deal with the possible humanitarian consequences of whatever happens in Afghanistan."

The agency's contingency plan outlines a massive relief initiative involving the construction and maintenance of refugee camps and the delivery of more than 80,000 tents, hundreds of thousands of health and hygiene kits, and massive quantities of other relief items. The funding sought, which would be used to cover the agency's needs over the next six months, forms part of a larger consolidated appeal which is being compiled by the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.