Taliban-led govt needs funds to avoid collapse: UN

UNITED NATIONS: A UN envoy on Thursday urged the world to keep money flowing into Afghanistan despite concerns over the Taliban government, warning the already poor country could otherwise suffer a historic breakdown.

Deborah Lyons, the secretary-general´s special representative on Afghanistan, called on the world at least to give a chance to the victorious Taliban as the Islamist insurgents turn to governance and confront a severe economic decline.“A modus vivendi must be found — and quickly — that allows money to flow to Afghanistan to prevent a total breakdown of the economy and social order,” Lyons told a Security Council meeting.If not, the result would be “a severe economic downturn that could throw many more millions into poverty and hunger, may generate a massive wave of refugees from Afghanistan and indeed set Afghanistan back for generations.”She warned that the new Afghan authorities cannot pay salaries and voiced alarm over a storm of crises including a plunging currency, sharply rising food and fuel prices, and a lack of cash at private banks.