UN chief urges countries to fast-track aid to Afghans amid looming humanitarian crisis

Speaking past the deadline for the withdrawal of United States forces from Afghanistan, the United Nations expressed concern over the state of the war-torn country. Following the withdrawal of troops, the United Nations chief urged all countries to help the people of Afghanistan in their darkest hour of need. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pointed out almost half the population in Afghanistan needs humanitarian assistance to survive as the basic services infrastructure of the country has been under threat due to the Taliban takeover last month.

Afghans need support 'now more than ever', says UN chief

Antonio Guterres on Tuesday addressed the need to help the people of Afghanistan. The UN chief showed grave concern at the deepening humanitarian crisis in the country and said that the country was facing a threat of its basic services collapsing. The chief offered some grim statistics of the situation in Afghanistan a day after the withdrawal of the last US forces from Afghanistan, which also marked the beginning of new Taliban rule.

According to the statistics put forth by the UN, 18 million Afghan citizens currently need aid to survive. The UN chief said that one in three Afghans are unsure of their next meal and over half of all children under age 5 are expected to become acutely malnourished in the next year as people are losing access to basic goods and services by the passing day.

Guterres in his statement said that the war-torn country is now coping with a severe drought. Pointing out that its citizens will have to face harsh winter conditions now, the UN chief said that extra food, shelter and health supplies must be urgently fast-tracked into the country. Following this, the UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the current USD 1.3 billion U.N. humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan is only 39 per cent funded. Meanwhile, Guterres informed that a new emergency appeal for the next four months is expected to be put out next week.

UNSC adopts 7-point resolution on Afghanistan

Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday adopted a strong 7-point resolution on Afghanistan demanding that the Afghan territory 'not be used to threaten or attack any country or to shelter or train terrorists.' The UNSC under India's presidency adopted the resolution after 13 countries voted in favour of it while China and Russia, both permanent members of the council, chose to abstain from voting. The resolution was proposed by the US, the UK and France after the pull-out of their respective troops from the war-torn nation. It demanded that the Taliban adhere to its assurances and allow safe passage for Afghans and foreigners who want to leave.

IMAGE: AP