On 13 September, nearly a month after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres convened a conference in Geneva to raise at least $600m in aid for the country. Donors outdid themselves, pledging more than $1bn, and Guterres hailed the generosity as a sign of international solidarity with the people of Afghanistan. The money, he said, would allow the UN to help Afghans “in their time of dire need”.
It’s true. Afghanistan’s need is great even though the country sits on a wealth of natural resources. This great need led the World Health Organization (WHO) chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to visit Kabul on 20 September.
The $1bn agreed by donors is merely a short-term fix. Substantial chunks will go to the World Food Programme and the WHO to provide desperately needed food and to keep essential health facilities open.
