The European Union has allocated €10 million to the Aga Khan Foundation to implement a €13.5 million programme in Afghanistan aimed at strengthening livelihoods, expanding economic opportunities and improving the resilience of communities facing displacement and other crises.
The EU Delegation to Afghanistan said Wednesday that the remaining €3.5 million of the programme’s funding will be provided by the Aga Khan Foundation. The initiative, known as Boosting Resilience, Inclusive Development, Growth and Economic Empowerment (BRIDGE), will run for 36 months across 10 provinces.
The programme is expected to directly benefit 83,197 people and indirectly reach a further 582,379. It will focus particularly on women, young people, returnees, internally displaced people and vulnerable host communities. The EU and the Aga Khan Foundation have not specified which 10 provinces will be covered.
A major component of the initiative will focus on climate resilience and agricultural livelihoods. The EU said about 35,900 people will directly benefit from climate-smart and regenerative agriculture, including support for agricultural assets, inputs and technologies, as well as efforts to strengthen agricultural value chains and improve the sustainable management of natural resources.
The programme will also seek to expand employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. About 24,000 people are expected to benefit from support for employment, entrepreneurship and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, with particular attention to women-led and returnee-led businesses.
The initiative will also seek to improve access to finance and markets and expand community-based savings groups, which the EU says could strengthen economic resilience and increase women’s participation in economic activities.
A further 23,300 people are expected to benefit directly from activities aimed at strengthening social cohesion, community engagement, sustainable reintegration and local resilience mechanisms.
Eric Beaume, head of cooperation at the EU Delegation to Afghanistan, said the programme would support Afghanistan livelihoods while addressing some of the economic factors contributing to migration and forced displacement.
“Through this action, we provide economic stabilisation and strengthen the resilience of Afghan communities,” Beaume said, adding that the initiative aims to help communities build sustainable livelihoods and withstand future shocks.
The programme comes as Afghanistan continues to face significant economic and humanitarian pressures, while communities affected by displacement and the return of Afghans from neighbouring countries face additional challenges in accessing jobs, income and basic services.
The EU said the initiative builds on its longstanding partnership with the Aga Khan Development Network in Afghanistan and is intended to support more sustainable economic recovery and strengthen the ability of vulnerable communities to withstand future crises.
