December 22, 2021 —  The IRC welcomes today’s move by the UN Security Council to provide a humanitarian exception in the Taliban sanctions regime, but argues more needs to be done urgently to alleviate suffering and avoid economic collapse in Afghanistan.

David Miliband, President & CEO of the IRC, said:  “The Security Council’s decision to introduce a humanitarian exception to sanctions on the Taliban is a critical step that will support humanitarian actors like the IRC to scale up and deliver lifesaving services to Afghans in need without fearing legal repercussions. This couldn’t come soon enough as 9 million people in Afghanistan are marching toward famine and Afghan families are bracing for an extremely tough winter. 

“While this move will enable an essential increase in humanitarian aid, this alone is not sufficient to stave off economic collapse and humanitarian unraveling. The suspension of foreign development aid flows to Afghanistan– which previously propped up 75% of all government spending–-has wiped out the government’s ability to pay public servants and deliver desperately needed public services, including basic healthcare, to millions of Afghans. At the same time the freezing of Afghanistan’s financial assets and suspension of its International Monetary Fund (IMF) support has sent the Afghan economy into a tailspin, severely limiting the government’s ability to pay for basic goods such as medicines, fuel and food. 

“We have heard accounts of families taking to the streets to sell all their belongings just to get enough cash to buy food, young girls forced to marry to bring income into their family and children showing up in our clinics severely malnourished and on the brink of starvation. The suspension of foreign development aid flows, the freezing of Afghanistan’s financial assets and the suspension of IMF support are having a dire impact on ordinary Afghans who are struggling to access cash, healthcare, medicine and food. 

“The international community needs to move quickly, and take decisive steps to increase development aid and cash flows into the country to help the Afghan people. Afghans must not pay twice over for failures of the international community: first for war and now for neglect.”

The IRC began work in Afghanistan in 1988, and now works with thousands of villages across nine provinces, with Afghans making up more than 99% of IRC staff in the country. As Afghanistan struggles to recover from ongoing conflict and natural disasters, the IRC: works with local communities to identify, plan and manage their own development projects, provides safe learning spaces in rural areas, community based education, cash distribution provides uprooted families with tents, clean water, sanitation and other basic necessities, and helps people find livelihood opportunities as well as extensive resilience programming.   

Notes to editors  

For more information visit the DEC Media Centre here.  

For image gallery and b-roll footage click here.  This is a live link so refresh for latest content.  

 About the DEC: When large-scale disasters hit countries without the capacity to respond, the DEC brings together 15 leading UK aid charities to raise funds quickly and efficiently. In these times of crisis, people in life-and-death situations need our help and our mission is to save, protect and rebuild lives through effective humanitarian response. The DEC’s 15 member charities are: Action Against Hunger, ActionAid UK, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide UK, International Rescue Committee UK, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Oxfam GB, Plan International UK, Save the Children UK, Tearfund and World Vision UK.   

Thirteen of the DEC’s 15 members are responding in Afghanistan, either directly or through national affiliates or trusted local partners and will receive funds from this appeal. They are Action Against Hunger, ActionAid UK, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide UK, International Rescue Committee UK, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Save the Children UK, Tearfund and World Vision UK.   

Through UK Aid Match the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office gives the British public the opportunity to have a say in how the UK aid budget is spent whilst boosting the impact of the very best British charities to change and save the lives of some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. UK Government match funding will double British public’s own donations to the DEC appeal up to £10 million and will ensure that DEC member charities working on the ground can reach even more people in need.  

UK Aid Match has increased the impact of a number of DEC appeals to help those in need around the world, including most recently to support people affected by the coronavirus pandemic in fragile states and refugee camps as part of the DEC’s Coronavirus Appeal in 2020.  

UK Aid Match enquiries and enquiries about UK Government support for Afghanistan should be directed to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Newsdesk. Please call 020 7008 3100 or email [email protected].  

How to donate:    
Online: dec.org.uk   

Phone: 0370 60 60 610  

SMS: To donate £10 text SUPPORT to 70150. Texts cost £10 and the whole £10 goes to the DEC AFGHANISTAN CRISIS APPEAL. You must be 16 or over and please ask the bill payer's permission. For full terms and conditions and more information go to www.dec.org.uk   

Or donate over the counter at any high street bank or post office, or send a cheque by post to Post: DEC Afghanistan Crisis Appeal, PO Box 999, London EC3A 3AA.