LONDON (AFP): Britain said Tuesday it would co-host a virtual UN summit aimed at raising billions to avert a “devastating” humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power.
With the fundamentalist regime now denied access to Western funds, the United Nations says more than 24 million Afghans need urgent help to survive, and half the population is facing acute hunger.
The UN said last month that $4.4 billion was needed, as it launched its largest appeal yet for a single country.
Donor countries, UN agencies and Afghan civil society are set to take part in the online event next month, the UK government and UN said in a joint statement, without giving a date.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the summit would focus on delivering food, shelter and health services, particularly for women and girls who are once again shut out of public life under the Taliban.
“The conference is a critical moment for the international community to step up support in an effort to stop the growing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan,” Truss said.
“The scale of need is unparallelled, and consequences of inaction will be devastating. The UK is determined to lead the global effort,” she added.
Britain says it has committed £286 million ($390 million, 340 million euros) to support Afghans in the past year, including an emergency donation of £97 million last month, and UK diplomats visited Kabul last week for talks with the Taliban regime.
TRUSTED UN AGENCIES
The funds are being channelled through “trusted UN agencies” and charities on the ground, bypassing the Taliban, the UK government said.
The Afghan regime welcomed any donations but called anew for foreign money to go directly into its coffers.
“We demand that the aid be given to the government of Afghanistan, so that they can responsibly distribute it to the deserving people, and it doesn’t get wasted in the process,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP in Kabul.
Martin Griffiths, the UN’s deputy chief for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief, urged donors to step up “to save the lives and futures of Afghans”.
“Every day of delay means more misery for the Afghan people. They need a lifeline,” the British UN official said.
But while promoting its commitment to the Afghan people, the UK government has faced strong criticism for slashing its aid budget overall, including for Afghanistan.
“To make this summit a success, the UK has a moral duty to lead by example,” said Fionna Smyth, head of global advocacy at the charity Christian Aid.
The convening of the summit was a step in the right direction, she said. “It must, however, be coupled with massively stepping up our own contribution to prevent famine and action to get the Afghan economy back on its feet.”
