Kabul, First Published Dec 11, 2021, 7:57 PM IST
Global Funding Agencies decide to continue providing financial assistance to Afghanistan amid widespread poverty and famine caused by the financial crisis. Agencies, including the World Bank, have decided to continue the flow of aid that was cut off following the Taliban’s occupation of Afghanistan. The World Bank has agreed to hand over $ 280 million in frozen aid to UN agencies following the Taliban’s arrival. The World Bank has said it will hand over the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, which is controlled by the World Bank, to UN agencies such as the World Food Program and UNICEF, which distribute food in Afghanistan. The World Bank said in a statement that it would donate $ 100 million to UNICEF and $ 180 million to the World Food Program.
The United States and other countries have frozen $ 10 billion worth of Afghan reserves since the Taliban came to power. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have also decided to cut ties with foreign-funded Afghanistan and its funding agencies. Afghanistan is facing a food crisis following the worst drought in its history. The situation was exacerbated by the economic crisis that followed the Taliban rule. Afghanistan, which relied on foreign aid for its daily expenses, was plunged into poverty and famine.
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The United Nations has warned that millions of people, including young children, could starve to death in Afghanistan if there were no global efforts. David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Program, said the worst humanitarian disaster in the world was in Afghanistan. The United Nations has called on the international community to immediately release Afghan assets frozen by the international community during the post – Taliban crisis.
Afghanistan has a population of 3.9 million. Of these, 2.2 crore people are on the verge of starvation. Earlier, 1.4 crore people were below the poverty line.
Afghanistan plunged into a serious economic crisis after the Taliban seized power in August. Until then, Afghanistan had been sustained by welfare activities funded by foreign countries. With the arrival of the Taliban, foreign countries cut off aid. With this, the crisis became serious. Even before the arrival of the Taliban, Afghanistan was in a food crisis due to a severe drought. In the new situation it was sharp again. Famine quickly engulfed the country as Afghan wealth abroad was frozen.
The World Food Program estimates that $ 220 million a day is needed to feed 2.3 million people, including food. The World Bank’s decision to suspend aid comes amid widespread reports of famine in Afghanistan. However, there are indications that this amount alone will not solve the crisis in Afghanistan. UN agencies say a solution to the problem can only be found if the United States and other major powers immediately rescind the freeze on Afghan reserves.
Last Updated Dec 11, 2021, 8:03 PM IST
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