The Afghan government and the United Nations have assessed that Afghanistan needs $800 million for humanitarian assistance and $150 million to $200 million for development programs.

The assessment, called “Joint Humanitarian Appeal,” says that over 18 million people in Afghanistan are in need of humanitarian assistance due to conflicts, coronavirus and drought.

The United Nations and the Ministry of Finance asked international donors to provide the assistance.

“There is a need for a joint humanitarian appeal, as has been made by the Afghan government and the United Nations today so that a humanitarian crisis is prevented,” Acting Finance Minister Khalid Payinda said at a ceremony on Sunday.

“Already this year 25 humanitarian workers have lost their lives--been killed while delivering essential lifesaving humanitarian assistance. 63 were injured. Humanitarian workers are impartial. Humanitarian workers are not a target and that’s a message we would like to reinforce today,” said Ramiz Alakbarov, Deputy Special Representative and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator at United Nations mission in Afghanistan.

He said that 700,000 people will be deprived of access to humanitarian assistance, 500,000 will lose access to drinking water, and health service to one-third of Afghanistan’s population will be cut off if aid organizations don’t receive more money within the next one and a half months.