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A30 WORLD NEWS
Dialuna 20 December 2021

Islamic world pitches ways to aid desperately poor Afghans

(AP) — Islamic countries
scrambled on Sunday to
find ways to help Afghani-
stan avert an imminent
economic collapse they
say would have a “horren-
dous” global impact.
The hastily called meeting of
the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation in Islamabad
ended with a promise to set
up a fund to provide hu-
manitarian aid through the
Islamic Development Bank,
which would provide a cover
for countries to donate with-
out dealing directly with the
country’s Taliban rulers.

In a press conference at the
end of the summit, Paki-
stan’s Foreign Minister Shah
Mahmood Qureshi also de-
scribed what he called good
news from the United States,
whose special representative
on Afghanistan, Tom West,
attended the summit. He said the IDB can manage chaos would spread, allowing
trusts that could be used to terrorism and the drug trade
He said West met with the move money into Afghani- to flourish.
Taliban delegation led by stan, jumpstart businesses
the interim foreign minister and help salvage the deeply Martin Griffiths, the U.N.
Amir Khan Muttaqi on the troubled economy. undersecretary for humani-
sidelines. Qureshi said West tarian affairs and emergency
also said he was mandated to At the outset of the summit, relief coordinator, warned
“engage ” with the Taliban, several participating nations that Afghanistan cannot sur-
that U.S. humanitarian aid called for a quick opening of vive on donations alone.
to Afghanistan would not the country’s banking sys- He urged donor countries
carry preconditions and there tem and collectively, with the to show flexibility, allowing
could be as much as $1.2 bil- United Nations and interna- their money to pay salaries
lion available through the tional banking institutions, of public sector workers and
World Bank in money that to provide assistance to Af- support “basic services such
could be released to Afghani- ghanistan. Pakistan’s Prime as health, education, electric-
stan. Minister Imran Khan direct- ity, livelihoods, to allow the
ed his remarks to the U.S., people of Afghanistan some the next grim milestone,” he en have returned to their jobs
There was no immediate urging Washington to drop chance to get through this warned. “Within a year, 30% in much of the health care
response from the U.S. to preconditions for releasing winter and some encourage- of Afghanistan’s GDP (gross sector, many female civil ser-
Qureshi’s statements. desperately needed funds ment to remain home with domestic product) could be vants have been barred from
and restarting Afghanistan’s their families.” lost altogether, while male coming to work.
There has been a growing banking systems. unemployment may double
call for the U.S. and other Beyond that, Griffiths said, to 29%.” At the summit’s conclusion
countries to release upward Khan seemed to offer Taliban “we need constructive en- Qureshi said the OIC agreed
of $10 billion in frozen Af- a pass on their limits on edu- gagement with the de facto Next year the U.N. would be to appoint a special represen-
ghan assets. However, pre- cation for girls, urging the authorities to clarify what we asking for $4.5 billion in aid tative on Afghanistan. The
viously the U.S. has said at world to understand “cul- expect from each other.” for Afghanistan — it’s single 20 foreign ministers and 10
least some of that money is tural sensitivities” and saying largest humanitarian aid re- deputy foreign ministers in
tied up in litigation involving human rights and women’s Afghanistan’s teetering quest, he said. attendance also agreed to es-
the survivors and the families rights meant different things economy, he added, requires tablish a greater partnership
of victims of the 9/11 terror- in different countries. Still decisive and compassion- In what appeared to be a with the United Nations to
ist attacks carried out by al other speakers, including ate action, or “I fear that this message to the Taliban del- get help to desperate Afghans.
Qaida while being harbored the OIC chairman Hussain fall will pull down the entire egation, Qureshi and sub-
in Afghanistan by the Taliban Ibrahim Taha, emphasized population.” sequent speakers, including They participants also em-
during their previous rule. the need for the protection Taha, emphasized the pro- phasized the critical need to
of human rights, particularly Griffiths said families sim- tection of human rights, par- open Afghanistan’s bank-
Sunday’s summit brought those of women and girls. ply do not have the cash for ticularly those of women and ing facilities, which have
together dozens of foreign everyday purchases like food girls. been largely closed since the
ministers as well as the spe- “This gathering is about and fuel, as prices soar. The Taliban takeover on Aug.
cial representatives on Af- the Afghan people,” said cost of fuel is up by around In an interview with The As- 15. The Taliban has limited
ghanistan of major powers, Qureshi, who warned that 40%, and most families spend sociated Press last week, Mut- withdrawals from the coun-
including China, the U.S. without immediate aid, Af- 80% of their money just to taqi said that Afghanistan’s try’s banks to $200 a month.
and Russia. It also included ghanistan was certain to col- buy food. new rulers were committed
the U.N. undersecretary lapse. The consequences to the education of girls and “We collectively feel that we
general on humanitarian af- would be “horrendous,” he He rattled off a number of women in the workforce. have to unlock the financial
fairs, and the president of the said, not just in Afghan lives stark statistics. and banking channels be-
Islamic Development Bank lost to starvation and disease Yet four months into Taliban cause the economy cannot
Muhammad Sulaiman Al — but also what would most “Universal poverty may rule, girls are not allowed to function and people cannot
Jasser, who offered several certainly create a mass exo- reach 97% of the population attend high school in most be held without banking ser-
concrete financing proposals. dus of Afghans. He predicted of Afghanistan. That could be provinces, and though wom- vices,” Qureshi said.