Afghanistan's Humanitarian Situation 'Pretty Desperate': UN Official Urges Countries To Take In Refugees

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the global community and the UN need to engage with the Taliban for ensuring stability in Afghanistan and the rest of the region.

Representative Photo: PTI

New Delhi: The UN refugee agency has said that Afghans displaced by war and the Taliban takeover of the country are in urgent need of medicine, shelter, and other essentials ahead of winter.

Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, urged the international community to not just give money but also accept Afghan refugees in their countries. 

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad on Friday, he said: “Giving money is one thing, but also taking some of the refugees is important", news agency AP reported.

He urged all countries that have the capacity to take refugees, to continue resettling them.

Grandi described the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan as "pretty desperate" as stressed that food, medicines, shelter, and other necessities are needed urgently, news agency ANI credited Japan's NHK World as reporting. 

When asked about the Taliban's rule, Grandi said that humanitarian assistance is "not subjected to any political considerations and should not be". 

He also raised concerns over the frozen Afghan assets in other countries, saying that the money shortage could lead to the collapse of public services and will lead to an even bigger humanitarian crisis. 

According to him, the global community and the UN need to engage with the Taliban for ensuring stability in Afghanistan and the rest of the region. 

Even prior to the recent developments, the UN agency had said that over 18 million Afghans required urgent humanitarian assistance. It was reported that more than 3.5 million have been displaced from their homes by conflict and remain inside the country, including some 6,30,000 uprooted during 2021. 

During his visit to the capital city of Kabul, Grandi met with the Taliban's interim government, as well as other UN and NGO staff that have stayed on the ground and maintained operations.