A humanitarian air bridge flight sponsored by the European Union has departed from Maastricht (Netherlands) to Kabul (Afghanistan) today. Fully paid by the European Union, the flight carries 100 tons of life-saving materials for EU-funded partners. Today’s flight is part of ongoing air bridge flights to critical areas of the world. The EU is also providing a new €39 million aid package to boost coronavirus response as well as to help victims of war, forced displacement and natural disasters in Afghanistan. Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič said: “At this difficult time, the EU continues to stand by the most vulnerable in Afghanistan. The coronavirus pandemic poses huge logistical challenges for the humanitarian community, while the needs remain high in critical areas”. EU humanitarian projects in Afghanistan focus on providing emergency healthcare, shelter, food assistance, access to clean water and sanitation facilities, as well as various protection services supporting women and children. The EU-funded Emergency Response Mechanism also helps people recently displaced across Afghanistan. According to data released by Brussels, in 2019 and 2020, the Mechanism reached 400,000 people in all provinces of the country.