CANBERRA – The Australian Government has announced an immediate $1 million humanitarian assistance package in response to the devastating earthquake that struck Afghanistan’s Nangarhar Province. The quake has resulted in significant loss of life, with initial reports indicating hundreds of fatalities, including many children, and over a thousand people injured. Thousands more have been left homeless as the disaster destroyed critical infrastructure and homes.
The earthquake has dramatically exacerbated the dire humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, where almost half the population—over 24 million people—was already in desperate need of aid. The catastrophe strikes a country already on its knees, struggling with severe economic collapse and hunger.
“Our thoughts are with the victims of this tragic earthquake, their families and loved ones, and the Afghanistan community in Australia,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement.
She said that Australia’s assistance will be directed through the trusted mechanisms of the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF), which is led by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). This ensures the support reaches those most in need on the ground.
The Australian Government also welcomed the rapid release of US$5 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support the emergency response. Australia is a longstanding and reliable donor to the CERF, contributing $11 million annually to the global emergency fund.
This latest commitment reinforces Australia’s firm commitment to supporting the Afghan people. Since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, Australia has provided over $260 million in assistance to the ongoing crisis, with a particular focus on the critical needs of women and girls.
