UN warns Taliben-led Afghanistan needs funds to prevent total breakdown of economy, social order

The United Nations warned on Thursday that the Taliban-led Afghanistan needs to find a way to get funds quickly flowing to the country to prevent a "total breakdown of the economy and social order."

The United Nations warned on Thursday that the freezing of billions of dollars in Afghan assets to keep them out of Taliban hands would inevitably spark "a severe economic downturn" and could push millions more Afghans into poverty and hunger. UN special envoy on Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, said a way needed to be found to get money quickly flowing to the country "to prevent a total breakdown of the economy and social order" and with safeguards to ensure it is not misused by the Taliban.