Seminar in Oslo: Present and future nutritional relief and rehabilitation in Afghanistan

Norway took over as chair for the Afghanistan Support Group (ASG) of donors from January 1, 2002. As a preparation for this task, a one-day seminar addressing the current situation and future of human relief and rehabilitation for and with the Afghan population was held in Oslo on December 19, 2001. The seminar was organised by the International Project on the Right to Food in Development at the University of Oslo, the Norwegian Red Cross and the Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with support of the HQ Defense Command Norway/Medical Branch, Disaster Preparedness Office.

This seminar, which was opened by State Secretary for the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Vidar Helgesen focused on the nutritional aspects of food aid and supplementary feeding in the ongoing relief operations in Afghanistan. On the agenda were several practical issues related to nutrition, humanitarian aid and reconstruction in Afghanistan. Discussions focused not only on Afghanistan, but also on challenges for nutrition relief applicable in any emergency/post-emergency situation. Some of the ideas and recommendations emerging from this seminar (which will be conveyed to the new ASG chair) were:

• governmental administration and civil society organisations need to strengthen their insight on the nutritional aspects of emergency relief and its relation to reconstruction and development;
• the Afghan people must play the decisive role in the rebuilding and development of their country;
• ensure that lessons learned regarding options to promote nutritional health of the Afghan civil population, will benefit emergency situations elsewhere - present and future.

Other important issues were the establishment of democratic institutions and the consolidation and protection of human rights and, in particular, the rights of women in Afghanistan.