Swiss humanitarian office in Kabul to reopen in autumn
The humanitarian office in Afghanistan's capital was closed three years ago after the Taliban came to power.
Originally planned for the summer, the reopening has been delayed due to technical, logistical and operational issues. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) informed the Keystone-SDA news agency on Sunday that the complete outfitting will be carried out with great care and the planning will be continuously adapted to the circumstances.
Four members of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit will staff the office. The team will be responsible for implementing, supporting and monitoring the projects financed by the SDC in Afghanistan. The reinstalled office will also liaise with Taliban representatives at a “technical level” where necessary for the implementation of the projects.
Meanwhile, the Swiss embassy in neighbouring Pakistan remains responsible for consular services and diplomatic contacts. The Swiss government closed the humanitarian office in Kabul and evacuated its staff after the Taliban took power again in August 2021. Since then, the team has been working from the Pakistan’s capital Islamabad.
The SDC’s projects help to protect human rights and meet basic needs, according to the organisation’s website. According to the SDC, Switzerland contributed CHF30 million to alleviating the humanitarian needs of the Afghan population last year.
Adapted from German by DeepL/ac
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