Alexander De Croo, head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has warned that the international community turning its back on Afghanistan could have serious consequences over the next five to 10 years.
De Croo made the remarks in an interview with Foreign Policy. He said that despite disagreements with Afghanistan’s caretaker authorities, the international community should remain engaged with the country, which is facing a range of economic, climate and humanitarian crises.
He added that Afghanistan is contending with an economic contraction of nearly 20 percent, the effects of climate change, natural disasters, tensions with neighboring countries, and the return of nearly five million migrants from Iran and Pakistan over the past 18 months.
De Croo said that no country could easily manage a population increase of 12 to 15 percent in a short period, as Afghanistan has experienced because of the return of migrants.
The UNDP chief said Afghanistan therefore needs support from the international community to cope with these pressures.
He also stressed that the international community should use its support for Afghanistan as leverage to advance the rights of women and girls and expand civic space.
Meanwhile, hunger is having a severe impact on people’s lives in Afghanistan.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has reported that more than 17 million people in the country are facing severe food insecurity.
