BRUSSELS: Afghanistan is facing a breakdown of its economic and social systems that risks turning into a humanitarian catastrophe, the European Union’s foreign policy chief said on Sunday.
Avoiding the worst-case scenario would require the Taliban to comply with conditions that would enable more international assistance, Josep Borrell wrote in a blog post.
“Afghanistan is experiencing a serious humanitarian crisis and a socio-economic collapse is looming, which would be dangerous for Afghans, the region and international security,” Borrell wrote.
Food prices in the country have jumped more than 50 percent since the Taliban took power in August as the freezing of $9 billion of Afghanistan’s assets held in foreign central bank reserves and the withdrawal of foreign income stokes inflation.
The Afghan banking system is largely paralyzed, with people unable to withdraw money, while the country’s health system — which was heavily dependent on foreign aid — is close to collapse, according to Borrell.
“If the situation continues and with winter approaching, this risks turning into a humanitarian catastrophe,” he wrote, adding that this could trigger mass migration into neighboring states.
The 27-country EU has increased its humanitarian aid to Afghanistan since the Taliban took power, but halted its development assistance — a move also taken by other countries and the World Bank.
The EU response to the crisis would depend on the behavior of the new Afghan authorities, Borrell said, and any resumption of relations would require compliance with conditions including human rights.
“This requires above all that the Taliban take the steps that will enable the international community to assist the Afghan people,” he said, adding that female staff from international agencies must be able to do their job.
Widespread reports of human rights abuses and the exclusion of girls from schools have dented optimism that the Taliban’s approach has changed since it first ran Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001.
Borrell met Qatari officials last week in the Qatari capital Doha, where the Taliban have a representation.
He said Qatar’s contacts with the Taliban were aimed at moderating their behavior, and urged Doha to use its contacts with them to ensure the “worst scenario” for Afghanistan could be avoided.
Afghanistan on verge of socio-economic collapse — EU top diplomat
https://arab.news/r2nyv
Afghanistan on verge of socio-economic collapse — EU top diplomat
- $9 billion of Afghanistan’s assets held in foreign central bank reserves have been frozen since the Taliban took power in August
- EU foreign policy chief says Taliban have to comply with conditions that would enable more international assistance
Trump says ‘my own morality’ is only restraint on global power
- On Thursday the Senate advanced a measure to rein in presidential military action in Venezuela
WASHINGTON, United States: US President Donald Trump said in an interview published Thursday that his “own morality” was the only constraint on his power to order military actions around the world.
Trump’s comments to The New York Times came days after he launched a lightning operation to topple Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, and threatened a host of other countries plus the autonomous territory Greenland.
“Yeah, there is one thing. My own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me,” Trump told the newspaper when asked if there were any limits on his global powers.
“I don’t need international law,” he added. “I’m not looking to hurt people.”
The Republican president then added that “I do” need to abide by international law, but said “it depends what your definition of international law is.”
The United States is not a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which tries war criminals, and it has repeatedly rejected decisions by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN’s top court.
Trump himself has had his own run-ins with domestic law, having been impeached twice, faced a slew of federal charges including conspiring to overturn the 2020 election — which were eventually dropped after his re-election — and convicted for covering up a hush money payment to a porn star.
While proclaiming himself as “peace president” and seeking the Nobel Prize, Trump has launched a series of military operations in his second presidential term.
Trump ordered attacks on Iran’s nuclear program in June and in the past year has also overseen strikes on Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Yemen — and most recently on Venezuela.
Since Maduro’s capture, an emboldened Trump has threatened a string of other countries including Colombia, as well as Greenland, which is administered by fellow NATO member Denmark.
Asked whether his priority was preserving the NATO military alliance or acquiring Greenland, Trump told the Times: “it may be a choice.”
Some members of Congress, including a handful of Republicans, are trying to check Trump’s power.
On Thursday the Senate advanced a measure to rein in presidential military action in Venezuela. But even if it reaches his desk, Trump would likely veto it.
Billionaire Trump, who made his fortune as a property developer, added that US ownership of Greenland is “what I feel is psychologically needed for success.”
Trump said separately that he had no problem with his family conducting foreign business deals since his return to office.
“I prohibited them from doing business in my first term, and I got absolutely no credit for it,” Trump told the daily. “I found out that nobody cared, and I’m allowed to.”
