UN asks the Taliban to respect the demonstrations 0:48
(CNN) -
The population of Afghanistan faces the "collapse of an entire country" as the poverty rate continues to rise, United Nations (UN) Secretary General António Guterres warned on Monday in his keynote address to a United Nations aid conference for Afghanistan in Geneva.
According to the UN Secretary General, even before the Taliban took power, Afghans were already "experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world."
"Today, one in three Afghans does not know where their next meal will come from. The poverty rate is skyrocketing, and basic public services are on the brink of collapse," Guterres said.
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The exodus of Afghans following the Taliban victory and the recent drought have also contributed to this perfect storm, he added.
Guterres alerted attendees that many Afghans "could run out of food by the end of these months, just as winter is approaching."
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Consequently, he implored the international community to support the UN's urgent appeal, which aims to raise US $ 606 million to help 11 million people in the next four months.
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UN calls for boosting humanitarian access in Afghanistan
Guterres also called on countries to "promote humanitarian access" to the country, including the airlift with Kabul airport.
Although UN Humanitarian Air Service flights between Kabul and Islamabad, Pakistan, resumed Sunday, Guterres said "many more" flights of this nature are needed for aid workers and humanitarian supplies to enter and get out of the country.
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Finally, the international community must bolster Afghanistan's ailing economy by providing cash, Guterres said.
"A total collapse will have devastating consequences for the population, and runs the risk of destabilizing neighboring countries with a mass exodus," he warned.
Guterres concluded by recalling that "time is short, and events are moving rapidly in Afghanistan", stressing the importance of extending a "lifeline" to the country in difficulty.