Afghanistan is on the verge of becoming the world's worst humanitarian crisis, replacing Yemen, drought, conflict, climate change, cov...
Afghanistan is on the verge of becoming the world's worst humanitarian crisis, replacing Yemen, drought, conflict, climate change, covid-19 pandemic, Economic meltdown and the Taliban takeover played a role in the developing crisis, and the United Nations have warned that the world is not acting promptly, it is going to get out of control which is why there are currently 18.8 million people in Afghanistan who are believed to be food insecure and ultimately that number will be in the coming weeks during the harshest winter period to 22.8 million people, that is more than half of the population. Several institutions, including the World Bank, the IMF and the EU, have stopped funding. Humanitarian groups were already fighting to help those in need, but the decision to cut aid further exposed the weakest.
Until August, 80% of public spending was funded by international aid, after the Taliban had takeover all salaries of doctors, nurses, teachers, Civil servants have been unpaid for more than 5 months and due to the breakdown of vital services such as health care, education and sanitation, the people who depend on these sectors are having tremendous difficulty feeding their families. More than eight million people have been internally displaced. The United Nations has stated that 3.2 million children will be at risk of acute malnutrition from the onset of winter by the end of 2021, while 1 million will likely die. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) reported that under Taliban rule, "97% of Afghans would fall below the poverty line in the next year, an incredible 25% increase.". The IMF also reported in October that "the Afghan economy would shrink by 30% and the entire nation would need humanitarian aid to survive."
Foreign reserves of Afghanistan around $9 billion were frozen by the United States since the Taliban seized the power in Afghanistan resulting in the collapse of the Economy but amidst humanitarian crisis, the US must find different channels like the Red Cross to release these funds to assist the unhindered humanitarian assistance to the Afghani people.
Regional players like India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan should also actively engage to revert the crisis, On Sunday Pakistan hosted the Organisation of Islamic Corporation(OIC) to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan in which countries vows to aid Afghanistan.
India also discussed Afghanistan with five central Asian countries and stepped up to help the afghani people in crisis by sending 50,000 tones of wheat,1.6 metrics of life-saving medicines and Covid-19 vaccines. It will not only ease the hunger crisis but also strengthen the goodwill of India in Afghanistan.
However, Aid alone cannot adequately address the crisis. Therefore, the world community must find ways to address the current banking problem and continue to exempt humanitarian and service-delivery operations from sanctions. Moreover, the international community must hold the Taliban to the commitments made in various United Nations General Assembly resolutions and hold it accountable for past and ongoing violations of human rights.