Relief aid flow to Herat continues

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Iran announced on Thursday it was sending another consignment of wheat into Afghanistan - the third from its base in the northeastern city of Mashhad. Marius de Gaay Fortman, the WFP country representative in the Iranian capital, Tehran, told IRIN that the convoy of five trucks, carrying a total of 100 mt, was currently at the Dogharun border-crossing in Khorasan Province, and set to cross over at any time. This would bring to 310 mt the amount of wheat WFP has sent from Iran to Afghanistan since 9 October. "At this point, getting food into the country via Iran is easier than [from] Pakistan," Fortman said. "So far, the operation is proceeding smoothly, and there have been no problems with security." He went on to say that WFP was in the process of purchasing 30,000 mt of wheat from the Iranian authorities; this had been earmarked for the western Afghan city of Herat and the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, via Turkmenistan. WFP needs to bring in 60,000 mt a month into Afghanistan and neighbouring countries. Operations in Iran aim to bring in 30,000 mt over the first two months, most of it earmarked for Herat and the western region. This region requires some 8,000 mt a month. According to emergency contingency plans, the UN food agency aims to bring in 490,000 mt into Afghanistan over a six-month period to assist up to 7.5 million vulnerable Afghans. Meanwhile, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) programme officer, Luc Chauvin, told IRIN on Thursday that, security conditions permitting, UNICEF would be sending its second convoy of relief items from Iran into Afghanistan on Sunday, 21 October. According to Chauvin, the convoy of nine trucks, destined for Herat, would contain 16,000 blankets to be distributed by local staff at UNICEF's sub-office in the city. "This shipment is in line with UNICEF's policy to provide as much assistance to vulnerable Afghans inside their country," he said. "At this point our main concern is to get as much winter items into the country as possible.". This consignment follows UNICEF's first convoy of relief items from Iran last week, which included health kits and some 4,000 blankets. UNICEF is considering sending another aid consignment to internally displaced persons (IDPs) camped in and around Herat. This would comprise 160,000 pairs of shoes, 140,000 children's sweaters, 20,000 ladies' sweaters, 80,000 pairs of gloves and well 40,000 stoves. It is estimated there are currently some 200,000 IDPs in the Herat area.