Daily Life 'A Frozen Hell' For Afghanistan; World Cannot Abandon The Country Now: UN Secretary-General

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said on Wednesday that "daily life has become a frozen hell for the people of Afghanistan".

UN Secretary-General António Guterres (Photo: Getty Images)

New Delhi: United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said on Wednesday that "daily life has become a frozen hell for the people of Afghanistan", and as a matter of moral responsibility, the world cannot abandon the country now.

Guterres wrote on twitter that the people of Afghanistan need peace, hope, help, and that they need it now.

Daily life has become a frozen hell for the people of Afghanistan.

As a matter of moral responsibility — and regional and global security and prosperity — we cannot abandon them.

They need peace. They need hope. They need help. And they need it now. pic.twitter.com/iv66ZIaKgg

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) January 26, 2022

With Afghanistan "hanging by a thread" six months after the Taliban takeover, the world cannot abandon the country now – for the sake of its people and overall global security, Guterres told the UN Security Council on Wednesday, according to a statement issued by the UN.

The UN Secretary-General also outlined action for the de facto rulers of Afghanistan, the Taliban. He called on the fundamentalists to expand opportunity and security for Afghans, uphold human rights, and demonstrate real commitment to be part of the international community, the statement said.

Daily Life In Afghanistan Has Become A "Frozen Hell"

Guterres said that Afghanistan has long been unfairly used as a platform for political agendas, geopolitical advantage, ideological dominance, brutal conflicts, and terrorism. 

Afghanistan has been a fertile breeding ground for terrorist groups for far too long.

The country's economy is collapsing amid another brutal winter, and daily life has become a "frozen hell", the statement said. 

The situation in Afghanistan is so grim, that some some families have been forced to sell their babies so they can buy food. Over half of all citizens are facing extreme levels of hunger, the statement said.

Human rights are also losing ground as the economy spirals downward. The UN chief highlighted the situation of women and girls, who are once again shut out of offices and classrooms, and also appealed for the release of women activists who were arrested or abducted recently. 

Earlier this month, the UN launched a more than $4.4 billion appeal for Afghanistan to keep the food, education, and economic systems from collapsing, Guterres reminded the council. 

The Secretary-General urged countries to suspend rules and conditions that constrict both the Afghan economy and lifesaving humanitarian operations, the statement said.

Guterres Underscored The Need To "Jump-Start" The Afghan Economy

Guterres emphasised on the need to pay public service salaries. "At this moment of maximum need, these rules must be seriously reviewed," the UN statement quoted Guterres as saying.

Guterres underscored the need to "jump-start" the Afghan economy through increased liquidity, including by freezing-up frozen currency reserves and through cash injections, the statement said.

"Our team in Afghanistan stands ready to work with Member States and others to establish accountable systems to ensure that funds go to the Afghan people most in need, and are not diverted," the Secretary-General was quoted as saying in the statement.

Nearly $9 billion in central bank assets have been frozen by sanctions and mistrust by the global banking system, according to the statement. Also, vital systems are starved of much-needed funds. 

UN Chief Urged The Taliban To Demonstrate Real Commitment

The UN Secretary-General urged the Taliban to demonstrate real commitment to be part of the international community, and said that the window for trust building was open. But this trust must be earned, he added.

The UN chief underscored the critical need to promote security and fight terrorism. 

Guterres urged the de facto authorities to work together with the global community to suppress the terrorism threat. 

He said: "If we do not act and help Afghans weather this storm, the region and the world will pay a heavy price."

Guterres encouraged the Taliban to seize this moment and garner international trust and goodwill by recognising – and upholding – the basic human rights that belong to every girl and woman.

The UN Chief said that just as he appeals to the international community to step up support for the people of Afghanistan, he makes an equally urgent plea to the Taliban leadership to recognise and protect the fundamental rights that every person shares, according to the statement.