CANBERRA, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government has allocated an additional 15 million Australian dollars (11.41 million U.S. dollars) to provide humanitarian support to Afghanistan and Pakistan, the nation's Foreign Minister announced on Tuesday.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop announced the package as part of World Refugee Day.
"The United Nations (UN) estimates over 3.3 million Afghan people are currently displaced across Afghanistan and Pakistan," Bishop said in a statement on Tuesday.
"Australia's assistance of 15 million Australian dollars will provide vital protection services, healthcare and nutrition to Afghan refugees in Pakistan, people returning from neighboring countries, people displaced by conflict and host communities in Pakistan. It will focus on protecting the most vulnerable, including women and children and people with disabilities," she said.
Bishop said the assistance would be allocated to and provided by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Children's Fund, the International Organisation for Migration, and the UN Population Fund.
The minister's announcement comes just hours after the Australian government announced a similar, 1 million Australian dollar (750,000 U.S. dollar) humanitarian assistance package for Filipino civilians caught up in the conflict in Marawi City.
"Our support includes the provision of tarpaulins, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, and water and sanitation kits through the Philippine Red Cross to assist 1000 displaced families," Bishop said.
"We are providing over 500 tonnes of pre-positioned rice through the World Food Programme, which will help feed 60,000 children over the next three months.
"We are also providing hygiene items, torches and whistles for protection, sanitary supplies and clothes, and clean birthing kits through the United Nations Population Fund, to assist over 6,400 women and girls."
