UN chief General Antonio Guterres tells Security Council: Afghanistan ‘hanging by thread’

Afghanistan is “hanging by a thread,” with tens of millions struggling excessive starvation, schooling and social providers on the point of collapse and a scarcity of liquidity limiting the capability to succeed in folks in want, U.N. Secretary-Basic Antonio Guterres informed the Safety Council on Wednesday.

“We have to droop the principles and circumstances that constrict not solely Afghanistan’s economic system, however our lifesaving operations. At this second of most want, these guidelines should be severely reviewed,” Guterres informed the 15-member council.

He once more known as for nations to problem common licenses overlaying transactions essential to all humanitarian actions.

“We have to give monetary establishments and business companions authorized assurance that they will work with humanitarian operators with out worry of breaching sanctions,” Guterres mentioned.

Some $9.5 billion in Afghan central financial institution reserves stay blocked exterior the nation and worldwide assist given to the earlier authorities has dried up for the reason that Taliban seized energy final August.

“We have to jump-start Afghanistan’s economic system by means of elevated liquidity. We should pull the economic system again from the brink. This implies discovering methods to liberate frozen foreign money reserves and re-engage Afghanistan’s Central Financial institution,” Guterres mentioned.

In December, donors to a frozen World Financial institution-administered Afghan Reconstruction Belief Fund agreed to switch $280 million to the World Meals Program (WFP) and U.N. youngsters’s company UNICEF to assist vitamin and well being in Afghanistan.

“We’d like the remaining $1.2 billion to be freed up urgently, to assist Afghanistan’s folks survive the winter,” Guterres mentioned. “Time is of the essence.”

The United Nations earlier this month appealed for $4.4 billion in humanitarian support for Afghanistan in 2022. On Wednesday, it mentioned it wanted an additional $3.6 billion for well being and schooling, primary infrastructure, promotion of livelihoods and social cohesion, particularly the wants of girls and women.

The United Nations has pledged to work with nations to make sure that funds aren’t diverted or misused, however the U.N. particular envoy on Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, famous on Wednesday that there was nonetheless reluctance amongst donors to liberate funds.

“It’s clear that donors, who face their very own home constituencies, are nonetheless not glad with the political progress in Afghanistan and are watching intently for encouraging alerts,” Lyons mentioned.