Afghanistan faces ‘humanitarian catastrophe’, warns UN chief

Earlier this week, UN chief Antonio Guterres warned of a looming ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ in Afghanistan and urged countries to provide emergency funding following the departure of US troops. Guterres expressed grave concern about the worsening humanitarian and economic crisis in the country, adding that basic services threatened to collapse ‘completely’.

The international community must now do more than ever to support Afghan children, women and men, he said in a statement in which he called for financial support. The secretary-general said, ‘I urge all member states to provide timely, flexible, and comprehensive funding for the people of Afghanistan in their darkest hour’.

The UN will release details of a flash appeal for Afghanistan next week, Mr. Guterres announced. He said the information will detail the ‘most immediate humanitarian needs and funding requirements’ over the next four months. He added that Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Relief, will coordinate the entire UN system in preparation for the appeal.

The Afghan Government is under pressure to provide urgent humanitarian aid to almost half of the country’s population, 18 million people. Afghans are losing access to basic goods and services daily, and one out of three Afghans doesn’t know where their next meal will come from. More than half of all children under five will be acutely malnourished in the next year. ‘We are facing a humanitarian catastrophe,’ said the secretary-general.

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Afghanistan needs food, shelter, education, and health supplies urgently because of the severe drought and the harsh winter ahead. As he stated, ‘I appeal on all sides to provide safe and easy access to all humanitarian workers, men and women, both for life-saving and life-sustaining supplies’. Despite the uncertainty surrounding what will happen in Afghanistan, Mr. Guterres said humanitarian agencies will remain committed to delivering aid to the country.”