Dubai: Afghanistan is heading for economic collapse that is at risk of spinning to the country to become a new political crisis, Minister of Sweden for international development cooperation warns on Saturday.
Afghanistan had plunged into the crisis after the collapse of the government supported by the West and the Taliban took over in August, which was fulfilled with the end of the billions of dollars suddenly in economic assistance that depend on assistance.
“My concern is that the country is on the verge of collapse and the collapse will come faster than we thought,” Per Olsson Fridh told Reuters in Dubai, a warning that economic revival could provide an environment for terror groups to develop.
The European Union 27 countries, which includes Sweden, has increased humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan since the Taliban swept back to power but has stopped its development assistance, an action taken by many other countries and the World Bank.
The Red Cross on Friday urged the international community to engage with the Taliban, warning that their own aid group could only provide a temporary solution.
Sweden is in mind the efforts through Afghan civil society groups to secure basic services, said Fridh, but other countries need to be convinced that this might be done without legitimizing the new Taliban rulers.
But Sweden will not channel development money through the Taliban, he said.
This movement has faced international criticism because of its failure to uphold certain rights since returning to power, including allowing girls to access education.
Most countries have closed their embassies in Kabul with several have transferred them to Qatar, the Gulf State which is the main interlocutor between the West and the Taliban.
European countries are not ready to reopen their Kabul Embassy, Fridh said, adding that more diplomatic missions will open in Qatar before returning to Afghanistan.
Afghanistan towards faster destruction than expected, Swedish Minister warns
