By Emma Farge

GENEVA, (Reuters) – U.N. agencies asked for donations for $4.4 billion to Afghanistan’s humanitarian assistance in 2022. They called the money an “essential gap” and referred to it as an “essential stop-gap” in order for the country to recover from a time of chaos that saw the Taliban take power and a quick U.S. withdrawal.

The United Nations claims that the appeal amounts to almost a quarter the country’s gross domestic product and it is three times the number received by the United States in 2021 after the collapse of their U.S-backed government.

Martin Griffiths, U.N. aid chief, stated that this was a “stop gap”, an essential measure to be presented before the international community.

“Without financing this, there won’t be a tomorrow. Without this, there will not be any outflow and suffering.”

Afghanistan’s unstable economy is now at risk of total collapse due to the abrupt withdrawal of aid following August’s victory by the Taliban.

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 stated that the conflict between Taliban and previous governments is now over. This has created some security space which Grandi believes we should take advantage of.

But to make that happen, we will need the resources that go along with this appeal.