400 Tons of Fortified Biscuits Reach Afghanistan After Crossing Nine Countries
The World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that 400 tons of fortified biscuits, after traveling approximately 15,000 kilometers and passing through nine countries, have finally arrived in Afghanistan. This shipment reached the country following the closure of the Afghanistan-Pakistan borders and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, which forced multiple route changes.
Corinne Fleischer, Head of Supply Chain at the World Food Programme, stated on Saturday, June 6, that the shipment initially departed from Indonesia by sea to Pakistan and was supposed to enter Afghanistan by land, but this plan did not materialize due to the closure of the borders between the two countries.
According to her, the consignment was then transferred to the port of Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates to be shipped by sea to Iran and from there to Afghanistan. However, with the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, this route was also closed. Consequently, the World Food Programme was forced to seek a longer and alternative land route.
Ultimately, the shipment passed through Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan before entering Afghanistan via the port of Torghundi. These fortified biscuits are intended to be distributed to 172,000 schoolchildren across various regions of the country.
The World Food Programme emphasized that the delivery of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan has become unprecedentedly difficult and time-consuming. The agency warned that “hunger does not wait for routes to reopen.”
In a recent report, the organization warned that if the border closures between Afghanistan and Pakistan persist and the Middle East crisis worsens, an additional 2.3 million people in Afghanistan will face food insecurity. Currently, 13.8 million people in the country are already struggling with food insecurity.
Earlier in March, the World Food Programme predicted that if the war in the Middle East continues and oil prices remain around $100 per barrel until the end of June, 45 million people worldwide could face acute food insecurity. The agency now states that this scenario is unfolding.
According to the organization, countries experiencing conflict, climate shocks, and economic difficulties, or those heavily dependent on imports, suffer the most from the Middle East crisis. The increases in fuel, fertilizer, and food costs place additional pressure on vulnerable populations.
