The UN warned of the threat of famine in Afghanistan due to lack of financial support from the international community

Head of the Afghanistan Assistance Mission Deborah Lyons during a briefing at the UN Security Council statedthat in the event that the international community does not resume financial assistance to Afghanistan, a massive famine will begin in the country.

“The inevitable consequence will be a severe economic downturn that could plunge millions of people into poverty and hunger, trigger a massive wave of refugees from Afghanistan and throw Afghanistan back for generations,” Lyons said.

She clarified that earlier foreign countries blocked Afghanistan’s access to billions of dollars of financial assets and donor funds to prevent the Taliban terrorist movement, but now, to prevent the collapse of the country’s economy and social crisis, the West must allow money to flow into the country again. Lyons also stated the need to create guarantees that this money will be used by the authorities for the intended purpose.

According to the head of the mission to assist Afghanistan, a humanitarian crisis has already begun in the rural areas of the country, and in connection with the fall of the Afghan currency, prices for fuel and food have sharply increased. In addition, private Afghan banks have no cash left, so Afghans who have assets cannot access them.

According to Lyons, Afghanistan will also not be able to independently pay for imports of food, medicine, fuel and electricity, on which it depends heavily.

“The solution to this crisis cannot wait for political decisions regarding the lifting of sanctions. Millions of ordinary Afghans are in desperate need of help, ”Lyons said. She added that Afghanistan needs humanitarian assistance “on a massive scale” in areas such as health, food and non-food items. She asked to find mechanisms that would allow sending humanitarian aid through the UN.

On August 19 this year, it became known that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) blocked Afghanistan’s access to its reserves due to the “uncertain political situation.” This decision was made after the seizure of power by the terrorist Taliban.