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G20 pledges help for Afghan humanitarian crisis at special summit

13 October 2021 04:47 (UTC +04:00)

The Group of 20 major economies is determined to tackle the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, even if it means having to coordinate efforts with the Taliban, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Tuesday after hosting an emergency summit, APA reports quoting Reuters.

Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan on Aug. 15, the country - already struggling with drought and severe poverty following decades of war - has seen its economy all but collapse, raising the spectre of an exodus of refugees.

"There has basically been a convergence of views on the need to address the humanitarian emergency," Draghi told reporters at the end of a video conference.

U.S. President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and many European leaders took part, but Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin did not dial in, suggesting differing international positions on the emergency.