Top UN humanitarian official visits Afghanistan

(New York, 26 June 2008): United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes arrived in Kabul, Afghanistan, today for a five-day visit during which he will review the humanitarian situation in order to improve response to the humanitarian needs of the Afghan population.

Mr. Holmes is scheduled to travel to several parts of the country to meet a variety of people, including returnees, who face hardship as a result of conflict and natural disasters, including severe winters and crop failure. The security situation has made it difficult for humanitarian agencies to adequately assist those in need in parts of the country, and Mr. Holmes is scheduled to raise the issues of humanitarian access and protection of civilians when he meets with senior Afghan government officials and representatives from both the Afghan military and those from the multi-national forces deployed in the country. Mr. Holmes is also due to have discussions with senior officials of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), UN operational agencies, the Afghan Red Crescent, the International Committee of the Red Cross and representatives from the donor community.

Afghanistan is one of the countries severely affected by the effects of the global food crisis and Mr. Holmes will discuss this issue with the Government of Afghanistan and UN agencies. A special task force on food security that brings together the Government of Afghanistan, UN and other development agencies has already been set up.

For further information, please call: Stephanie Bunker, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 5126, mobile +1 917 892 1679; John Nyaga, OCHA-NY, + 1 917 367 9262; Elisabeth Byrs, OCHA-Geneva, +41 22 917 2653, mobile, +41 79 473 4570. OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int.