Afghanistan: UN needs to “discuss with de facto authorities” to facilitate humanitarian aid

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, Inaugurated this Monday the international conference on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan warning that this country is facing its “Most dangerous hours” and needs more international help to overcome them.

“It is time for the international community to be with themGuterres stressed that even before power in Afghanistan was regained by the Taliban, the country was already experiencing “One of the worst global humanitarian crises.”

The conference seeks to raise $ 606 million from the international communityAt a time when, Guterres recalled, one in three Afghans “does not know when their next meal will be” and hundreds of thousands of people have had to leave their homes.

The conference concluded with commitments in excess of $ 1 billion, Which for Guterres “completely” covers the previous expectations with which this forum had been convened. The European Union had already raised humanitarian aid for Afghanistan to 20 million euros before the appointment in 2021, while the Spanish government has announced a contribution of 20 million. The United States pledged nearly $ 64 million, while Norway pledged $ 11.5 million more.

The head of the UN said that the perpetual conflict in this country has been joined in recent months by a severe drought, The second in the country in the last five years, which threatens to ruin crops and leave millions of Afghans without food by the end of the month, with the harsh winter in sight.

Guterres clarified that the de facto Taliban regime, still without international recognition, “He has promised to cooperate to ensure that the people of Afghanistan are assisted” and in this regard called on UN workers and related agencies to continue to work safely in the country. “No harassment or intimidation.”

“It is impossible to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan without talking to the country’s de facto authorities. I think it is very important to discuss with the Taliban at this timeGuterres said at a press conference on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting in Geneva that will raise more than $ 600 million in aid to the country’s humanitarian organizations.

The UN Secretary-General also recalled that the women and girls of Afghanistan “they want to make sure their progress is not lost, their doors are not closed and their hopes are not dashed“In order to preserve the”new generation of businesswomen and women leaders who have flourished in the last two decades”.

Guterres announced that the UN would release $ 20 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund to support the humanitarian operation in Afghanistan. But he stressed that more money is needed, and quickly.

Several heads of UN agencies and other aid agencies echoed this sentiment. “We could have mass migration, destabilization in the region and, surely, famine among millions of Afghans“Warned David Beasley, head of the World Food Program, urging countries to”please take a step forward, take a step now so we can do our job”.

Filippo Grandi, director of the UN Refugee Agency, addressed the conference via a video link from Kabul, and urge donors to provide flexible funding to cope with a rapidly changing displacement crisis in the country.

And the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Peter Maurer, who has just arrived from Afghanistan, said that “the magnitude of the need is obvious“And he warned that”the risk of destabilizing the entire region is real”.

The head of humanitarian affairs at the UN, Martin Griffiths, Who also visited Kabul last week, said at Monday’s conference that the Taliban had committed in writing to protecting humanitarian workers, and also to respecting the rights of women and minorities, within the limits of religion.

But on the ground, they have acted swiftly to crush dissent and there are worrying signs regarding women’s rights. “Contrary to the guarantees that the Taliban would defend women’s rights, in the last three weeks women have been progressively excluded from the public sphere.”, UN Head of Rights Michelle Bachelet told the UN Human Rights Council on Monday. He also denounced the “credible accusations“Of killings in retaliation for former members of the security forces, and the”increased violence against protesters and journalists”.

(With information from EFE and AFP)

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