More than $1bn pledged for Afghanistan humanitarian crisis

The United Nations has confirmed it is putting together an aid conference in Geneva in an effort to raise more than $600 million for Afghanistan

More than $1bn in aid has now been pledged for Afghanistan.

The UN said the country was facing a major humanitarian crisis, and after decades of war and suffering, it was “perhaps their most perilous hour”, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.

The poverty rate was “spiralling” and public services were close to collapse, he told the conference.

“Many people could run out of food by the end of this month just as winter approaches,” he warned.

The UN continues to warn of a humanitarian crisis in the war-torn nation, following the Taliban takeover.

Even before the Taliban’s seizure of Kabul last month, half the population – or 18 million people – had been dependent on aid.

UN officials now say that 18 million people figure is likely set to increase due to drought and shortages of cash and food.

An abrupt end to billions of dollars in foreign aid following the collapse of Afghanistan’s Western-backed government has put pressure on the UN.

The details of the conference:

The Geneva conference, which is expected to begin on Monday afternoon, will be attended by top U.N. officials.

About a third of the requested $606 million would be used by the U.N. World Food Programme.

That UN programme conducted a survey in August and September, finding that 93% of the 1,600 Afghans it surveyed were not consuming sufficient foods, mostly because they could not get access to cash to pay for it.