UNITED NATIONS, Sep 05 (APP): A United Nations-sponsored international aid conference will convene in Geneva on Sept. 13 to help avert what U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres called a “looming humanitarian catastrophe”.
“We need the international community to stand together and support the Afghan people,” the UN chief has said in a post on Twitter, adding he would seek a swift scale-up in funding for humanitarian relief.
Many Afghans were struggling to feed their families amid severe drought well before Taliban militants assumed power last month and millions may now face starvation amid difficult economic conditions, aid agencies say.
According to the U.N., one in three Afghans does not know where the next meal will come from snd nearly half of all children aged under five are predicted to be acutely malnourished in the next 12 months.
On its part, the U.N. has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering humanitarian assistance to millions of people in need. Development gains must also be protected to link the humanitarian response with the medium- and long-term stability of Afghanistan, it said, emphasizing the rights, safety and well-being of women and girls are an essential part of this link.
A $1.3 billion appeal for Afghanistan, launched earlier this year, is less than 40 per cent funded, it was pointed out.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Imran Khan said the world should engage with Afghanistan to address humanitarian needs and provide economic stability to prevent a refugee crisis.
The prime minister made that statement after speaking to Secretary-General Guterres by telephone during which the two leaders discussed the developments in Afghanistan, with a particular focus on the humanitarian situation.
