Global donors pledge $1 billion for Afghanistan as poverty, hunger haunting nation
Amid increasing poverty and hunger and fear of mass exodus, international donors have pledged more than a billion dollars to help Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power, and foreign aid has dried up.


UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said it was impossible to say how much of the money had been promised in response to an emergency UN appeal for $606 million to meet the most pressing needs of a country in crisis.
After decades of war and suffering, Afghans are facing "perhaps their most perilous hour", he said in his opening remarks to a donor conference in Geneva.
"The people of Afghanistan are facing the collapse of an entire country — all at once."
He said food supplies could run out by the end of this month, and the World Food Programme said 14 million people were on the brink of starvation.
The Taliban ruled Afghanistan according to their strict interpretation of Islamic law from 1996-2001 and were toppled in an invasion led by the United States, which accused them of sheltering militants behind the Sept. 11 attacks.
They swept back to power last month in a lightning advance as the last U.S.-led NATO troops pulled out and the forces of the Western-backed government melted away.
With billions of dollars of aid flows abruptly ending due to Western antipathy and distrusttowards the Taliban, several speakers in Geneva said donors had a "moral obligation" to keep helping Afghans after a 20-year engagement.
Neighbours China and Pakistan have already offered help.
SOURCE: REUTERS

Andor’s second season traces the long arc of Star Wars’ revolutionary history
- 5 hours ago

Transfer rumors, news: Liverpool turn to Atalanta's Lookman
- 4 hours ago

Who should control OpenAI? Humanity.
- 3 hours ago

Pakistan, India will find solution themselves: Trump's response to rising tension
- an hour ago

Uber users can now earn miles with Delta Air Lines
- 5 hours ago

Heat wave forecast in country from today
- an hour ago

Let’s not panic about AI’s energy use just yet
- 3 hours ago

The real quest for fake blood
- 3 hours ago

Could this $10 weightlifting supplement be a depression treatment?
- 3 hours ago

US offers Saudi Arabia $100bn defense deal
- 43 minutes ago

Gen Z is finding religion. Why?
- 3 hours ago

Tesla’s revenue and profits tank amid political chaos
- 5 hours ago