Rights body warns of Afghans at risk due to economic measures

Kabul, Jan 28 (IANS) A human rights body has warned that millions of Afghans were at risk due to the economic measures imposed on the war-torn nation that are preventing aid agencies from moving funds into and within the country.

In a report released on Thursday, the Norwegian Refugee Council said it is impossible for the humanitarian organisations to help millions of in-need people with humanitarian assistance, unless the US Department of Treasury and other donor agencies take actions towards enabling the banks to facilitate humanitarian financial transfers and support Afghanistan's central bank to resume its core functions, reports TOLO News.

"The unresolved liquidity crisis is a key driver in what is becoming the worst humanitarian catastrophe in the world. We recently called for $4.4 billion for starving Afghans - the biggest call of its kind in the history of humanitarian work. But unless the US Treasury and other Western financial authorities enable us to transfer the aid money, we will be forced to work with our hands tied, unable to get that money to the communities who desperately need it," warned Jan Egeland, NRC's Secretary General.

According to NRC, 23 million people in Afghanistan are facing acute hunger and the public services are on the brink of total collapse. The report says amid this situation, aid agencies are unable to scale up lifesaving operations because formal financial channels into the country are almost completely blocked.

The report says while the licenses issued by the US Department of Treasury and the exemption of sanction by the UN on humanitarian assistance are good steps for supporting the people of Afghanistan but are not enough.

"Millions of Afghans will suffer unimaginable consequences unless the Afghan central bank is provided with sufficient support to resume its key functions, including the purchase and circulation of bank notes, with appropriate safeguards in place. Unless this happens, we will struggle to respond to this crisis and the country's economy will continue to skydive," said Egeland.

NRC has urged the US and European governments to support banks in allowing transfer of money into Afghanistan and also the aid agencies to withdraw those funds once reached in Afghanistan.

The report comes amid the UN and some other international humanitarian agencies have also warned of a humanitarian crisis in the country.

The UN also on Wednesday said it has launched its One-UN Transitional Engagement Framework (TEF) to assist the people of Afghanistan in 2022 through sustaining essential services and preserving essential community system.