UN seeks $5B to aid millions of Afghans as country struggles

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations has launched its biggest ever appeal — for over $5 billion to help 22 million Afghans whose country is on the brink of a humanitarian crisis and economic collapse as well as 5.7 million Afghan refugees in five neighboring countries. The U.N. said Tuesday that the appeal will be followed by a pledging conference in mid-March. The U.N. humanitarian chief has warned that Afghanistan’s economic collapse “is happening before our eyes” and is urging the international community to take action to stop “the freefall” before it leads to more deaths. He says donor nations need to support basic services including education, hospitals, electricity and paying civil servants.