By Emma Farge

GENEVA (Reuters). U.N. agencies have asked for humanitarian aid in Afghanistan for 2022 in the amount of $4.4 billion. The funds are an “essential cease gap”, to help ensure Afghanistan’s future, after a time of chaos that was marked by the Taliban taking power and a quick U.S. withdrawal.

According to United Nations, this appeal amounts to almost a quarter the country’s gross domestic product and it is three times the number that was received by the United States in 2021 after the collapse of their government.

Martin Griffiths from the U.N. Aid chief stated to reporters that “this is a temporary measure, an absolute essential emergency measure we are proposing today before the international community,” in Geneva.

“Without funding, there won’t exist a future. We need to do this otherwise, and there will be outflow. There will also be suffering.”

Afghanistan’s fragile economy was on the verge of collapse after the August victory of the Taliban. Food prices rose rapidly, and there were widespread hunger pangs.

The Taliban were also subject to Western sanctions. However, these restrictions have been lifted after Washington and the U.N. Security Council approved exemptions in December.

Griffiths has met with Taliban officials to discuss the humanitarian plan. He said it had been carefully calibrated so aid can go to individuals in crisis and not to authorities.

Filippo Grandi (U.N. High Commissioner For Refugees) stated that increased security offered an opportunity for millions of people who were displaced by long conflicts back home. He also said that 170,000 have returned since the Taliban took power.

Grandi declared, “The conflict between Taliban government and Taliban is over”

“But we must have the resources to support this appeal.”