Astana, Kazakhstan – 28 May 2025 – The Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) reaffirmed its strong commitment to supporting the people of Afghanistan through expanded humanitarian cooperation with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
As part of this strategic partnership, H.E. Mrs. Roza Otunbayeva, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of UNAMA, paid an official visit to the IOFS Headquarters in Astana, where she was received by H.E. Ambassador Berik Aryn, Director General of IOFS. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Astana International Forum (AIF) and served to advance joint efforts in addressing Afghanistan’s growing food security needs.
This high-level consultation builds on a longstanding partnership between the two organizations, which began in April 2023 with the signing of a cooperation agreement in Kabul. Under this framework, IOFS has worked alongside UNAMA and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to deliver food assistance to vulnerable populations, including patients in drug treatment centers and prison detainees.
Ambassador Aryn and Special Representative Otunbayeva reviewed the implementation of the joint “Flour for Humanity” program, which in 2023 facilitated the delivery of 68 tons of wheat flour to treatment centers in Kabul, Herat, and Kandahar, with support from the Republic of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and members of the International Islamic Food Processing Association (IFPA). The success of that operation underscored the importance of continued, coordinated efforts amid growing humanitarian needs in Afghanistan.
The meeting addressed the implementation of ongoing initiatives under the Afghanistan Food Security Programme (AFSP), including two flagship projects in Herat and Logar provinces supporting wheat cultivation and farmer training. These programs, co-funded by IOFS, TIKA, and CICA, benefit over 600 Afghan farmers and aim to enhance agricultural self-reliance through improved access to seeds, fertilizers, and agricultural tools.
During the exchange, H.E. Otunbayeva provided a sobering overview of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, highlighting severe food insecurity, a fragile socio-economic environment, and the urgent need for sustained international engagement. Both sides agreed that coordinated and inclusive responses are critical to supporting the most vulnerable populations, especially women, children, and displaced communities.
UNAMA expressed appreciation for IOFS’s sustained engagement and welcomed the Organization’s readiness to expand humanitarian operations to support prison populations suffering from critical food shortages. Special Representative Otunbayeva fully supported the Director General’s proposal to convene an international Donor Conference for Humanitarian Food Assistance to Afghanistan, to be co-hosted with UNAMA. She also emphasized the importance of increasing online training opportunities for Afghan farmers, noting the logistical challenges of arranging physical sessions in the current context.
The meeting also highlighted the regional dimension of humanitarian engagement. In this context, both parties welcomed the UN General Assembly’s unanimous adoption of a resolution to establish the UN Regional Center for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty. Initiated by H.E. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the 74th UN General Assembly and supported by 152 UN Member States, the Center is poised to become a regional coordination hub for SDG implementation and cross-border development, including food security. IOFS reaffirmed its readiness to serve as a key institutional partner to the UN hub, contributing expertise on agriculture, nutrition, and sustainable food systems.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deepen IOFS–UNAMA collaboration in line with the evolving humanitarian context in Afghanistan, with close coordination alongside WFP, FAO, UN Women, and other international partners to scale impact and ensure no community is left behind.
