The United Nations (UN) has warned that Afghanistan is at risk of “total breakdown.”
The UN urged the international community to find a way to keep money flowing into Afghanistan to avoid the “total breakdown.”
UN also called for the release of the frozen assets to avoid economic and social collapse. This came after UNDP said Afghanistan faces staggering poverty.
UN special envoy on Afghanistan Deborah Lyons stressed the importance of finding a way to get the money into the country “to prevent a total breakdown of the economy and social order.”
Afghanistan was facing a storm of crises including a plunging currency, a sharp rise in prices for food and fuel and a lack of cash at private banks. The authorities also do not have the funds to pay salaries, she said.
“The economy must be allowed to breathe for a few more months, giving the Taliban a chance to demonstrate flexibility and a genuine will to do things differently this time, notably from a human rights, gender, and counterterrorism perspective,” Lyons added.
Taliban to Guarantee Safe Passage
The Taliban has earlier promised to allow foreigners and Afghans to leave Afghanistan beyond 31 August.
This came during a meeting between the Taliban groups and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Blinken pointed out that Washington and its allies had “a responsibility to hold [the Taliban] to that commitment”.
Blinken said the US was still on track to complete operations at Kabul airport by the end of the month.
There are still thousands inside and outside the airport wanting to fly out.
