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
More than 1,000 councilors in UK sign Palestine pledge
- Issue could prove decisive in local elections set for May, campaigners say
- Campaign pledges councilors to ‘uphold inalienable rights of the Palestinian people’
LONDON: More than 1,000 local councilors in the UK have signed a pledge of solidarity with Palestine, in what could prove to be a crucial issue in upcoming elections, Sky News reported on Saturday.
Many Labour-run councils face the prospect of losing power in the local elections, set for May.
The issue of Palestine could play a decisive role in key sections of the electorate, campaigners have said.
The document, launched by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and signed by 1,028 councilors so far, pledges signatories to “uphold the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people” and prevent councils’ complicity in “Israel’s violations of international law,” including by divesting from pension funds invested in arms companies.
Zoe Garbett, a Hackney Green councilor who signed the pledge, told Sky News: “I think that this is really important to uphold the rights of the Palestinian people and to make sure that we can make ethical investments. They want to see their council representing them on a national level.”
She added: “We know that most people really want to see an end to the genocide in Gaza, and an end to wars and conflicts all across the world, and they want to see their local representatives standing up for them.”
Of the signatories to the pledge, 245 councilors are from the Green Party, 338 from Labour, 104 Liberal Democrats, 38 from the Scottish National Party, 17 from Plaid Cymru, 12 from Your Party, three Conservatives and many independents.
Labour has faced significant pressure from its traditional voter base over the issue of Gaza, especially after Prime Minister Keir Starmer appeared reluctant to call for a ceasefire.
Key London borough councils, dominated by Labour, have seen councilors sign up en masse to the pledge.
In Islington, a Labour stronghold, 59 percent of councilors signed the pledge, while 49 percent signed in Tower Hamlets.
Similar trends have taken place in Sheffield — where no party has overall council control — and Bradford.
Richard Burgon, Labour MP for Leeds East, said: “I think that so many Labour councilors have been so keen to sign the Palestine pledge as councilors because it puts on record that support for Palestine and distinguishes them from the position taken by the leader of the Labour Party.”
Alongside PSC, Britain’s most significant pro-Palestine group, the pledge is also supported by the Palestinian Youth Movement Britain, the Palestinian Forum in Britain, The Muslim Vote and the British Palestinian Committee.
PSC political organizer Dan Iley-Williamson said local councils in the UK “administer pension funds that invest more than £12 billion ($16 billion)” in weapons firms linked to Israel.
“The mass movement for Palestine — which has brought millions onto Britain’s streets — is not going away,” he added.
