The country is facing a total economic meltdown.
By Cassandra Vinograd Senior Staff Editor, Opinion |
And governments around the world are still grappling with how and whether to engage with the Taliban. But while politicians ponder whether to formally recognize the Taliban as Afghanistan's new government, ordinary Afghans are faced with great uncertainty and caught in a tightening vise. |
For 20 years, foreign aid poured into Afghanistan. The recent Taliban takeover turned off the spigot. Now the economy is in free fall. The health care system is on the brink of collapse. Afghans are struggling to pay for food. Many have been displaced from their homes. |
While the United States last week cleared the way for some aid to Afghanistan to resume, it is nowhere near enough. Aid groups are warning of a calamity. The humanitarian crisis is already underway, and will only get worse as winter cold descends. |
That's why Jan Egeland, the secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, is calling for the international community to take urgent action to stabilize the economy and allow aid funds to flow. He recently visited Kabul and saw firsthand the loss of income and aid is having on Afghans. "The desperation is everywhere," he writes. |
In a guest essay, he calls for the unfreezing of bank reserves and the resumption of aid transfers — along with creative thinking to ensure public sector salaries get paid. With practical suggestions, Egeland offers an alternative path from outright catastrophe. |
Regardless of who is in power, Egeland writes, it is a race against time to save lives in Afghanistan. |
Here's what we're focusing on today: |
Forward this newsletter to friends to share ideas and perspectives that will help inform their lives. They can sign up here. Do you have feedback? Email us at opiniontoday@nytimes.com |
Contact Us If you have questions about your Times account, delivery problems or other issues, visit our Help Page or contact The Times. |
|
No comments:
Post a Comment