USAID gives $5 million to Canadian nutrition support in Afghanistan

Signing the agreement
USAID/Afghanistan Mission Director, Bill Hammink (left), Najia Tareq, Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Public Health, and Deborah Lyons, Canadian Ambassador to Afghanistan sign the agreement.

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Kabul, Afghanistan – On January 20, The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced a $5 million contribution to Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) to support nutrition in Afghanistan.

Nutrition is an important development priority of Afghanistan’s new National Unity Government. US-Canadian funds committed to the Canadian nutrition initiative total $18 million.   

Canada is committing resources to increase the ability of Afghan NGOs contracted by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) to provide nutrition-related health services, mostly to displaced persons and other low income groups. The Canadian effort is targeting nine Afghan provinces: Ghor, Herat, Bagdis, Bamyian, Daikundi, Kandahar, Jawzjan, Faryab, and Sari Pul. With USAID’s contribution, the program will now expand DFATD work to three additional provinces selected by the Ministry of Public Health in conjunction with DFATD.

“These projects aim to build the capacity of the Afghan health system, while simultaneously improving the health and nutritional status of women and children,” said USAID Mission Director Bill Hammink. According to Hammink, “This type of cooperation among development partners and the Afghan government can help strengthen Afghan-led efforts and realize self-reliance.”

Deputy Minister Najia Tareq at the Ministry of Public Health applauded the donation saying, “I commend such efforts of cooperation among our development partners. This USAID contribution to DFATD’s existing nutrition program will continue to aid MoPH in its efforts towards harmonization of development partners’ assistance in nutrition and increases impact.”