Taliban Deputy PM Hanafi discusses Afghanistan crisis with UN envoy Deborah Lyons

In a key development, Abdul Salam Hanafi, the Deputy Prime Minister of Taliban's interim government, held a meeting with the UN envoy to Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons on Saturday, 23 October. During the meeting, Hanafi and Lyons discussed the situation in Afghanistan and provisions for humanitarian aid. 

Confirming the meeting, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi met the UN envoy to Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons on Saturday, ANI reported citing Tolo News. Zabihullah Mujahid informed that the two sides discussed the situation in Afghanistan, humanitarian aid and the banking system in the country. Ever since the Taliban has taken control of the war-torn nation in August, the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan has deteriorated. 

"PM deputy Abdul Salam Hanafi met with the UN envoy to Afghanistan Deborah Lyons today (Saturday) and both sides discussed Afghanistan's situation, humanitarian aid and the country's banking system," ANI quoted Zabihullah Mujahid as saying. 

UN agencies have raised concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and have warned that the humanitarian crisis in the war-ravaged nation is worsening. Furthermore, they have stated that emergency aid is required to help Afghan people. UN agencies have also warned that Afghanistan's health care system is on the brink of collapse. 

UN urges global community to inject liquidity into Afghan economy

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in a press conference on Monday, 11 October, urged the international community to inject liquidity into the Afghan economy. The UN chief stated that even before the Taliban takeover in August, Afghanistan's fragile economy, which has been kept afloat by foreign aid over the past 20 years, has suffered due to drought and COVID-19.

Speaking to reporters in New York, Guterres said that in addition to humanitarian aid, the international community needs to take action in order to prevent the economic collapse of the war-ravaged country. He said that the world needs to find ways to make the economy breathe again. Furthermore, he noted that with assets frozen and development aid paused, Afghanistan's economy is breaking down. He added that banks are closing, and essential services, such as health care, have been suspended in many places.

(With inputs from ANI, Image: AP/@DeborahLyonsUN/Twitter)