Nepal donates 14 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan

Nepal on Sunday donated over 14 tonnes of humanitarian assistance to the UN representatives based in Afghanistan which is now under the Taliban rule, the first aid to a foreign country in the Himalayan nation's modern history.

A team led by Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sewa Lamsal flew to Kabul to deliver the in-kind assistance which weighed over 14 tonnes, excluding food items.

Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka led the efforts as a goodwill gesture, the ministry said.

''Economic hardship and harsh winter weather in Afghanistan necessitated humanitarian assistance and support from the international community to the people of Afghanistan,'' he said.

It is for the first time in the modern history of Nepal that the government provided humanitarian assistance to a foreign country on its own effort, Khadka told reporters at the Tribhuvan International Airport here.

Private sector bodies, organisations and individuals, including the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Nepal Chamber of Commerce, the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, Agrawal Sewa Kendra and Himalaya Airlines supported the mission.

The international community has pledged over USD 1.2 billion in aid for the Afghanistan humanitarian crisis, with the UN underlining the importance to engage with the Taliban to ensure continued humanitarian assistance in the country.