Afghanaid joins with Christian Aid, The International Rescue Committee, Save the Children UK, The HALO Trust and other NGOs to call on the G20 to take urgent action in order to avoid humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan.

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As Afghanistan’s harsh winter rapidly approaches, food and fuel prices are rocketing and people either simply can’t afford to buy essential supplies or have virtually no access to the money needed to buy them. The situation is so desperate that many Afghans have sold their final possessions and some are resorting to desperate coping strategies – such as child marriage.

NGOs have worked in Afghanistan for decades, including during the previous Taliban Government. Our teams know how to ensure that aid gets directly to those who need it most. Without a functioning economy and banking system we remain restricted in what we can do.

Urgent international leadership is required. G20 members must act now to ensure cash is allowed back into Afghanistan via the banking system. - inaction is punishing the Afghan people for the actions of the Taliban.

G20 members should urgently push for steps to identify safe, efficient payment channels so that funding can be quickly accessed in country to sustain humanitarian operations. Agreements are needed to support the provision of foreign exchange. A humanitarian catastrophe awaits if the international community fails to act.

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You can read the full letter alongside full list of signatories here.