KABUL, 31 March 2022, (TON): Britain pledged 286 million pounds ($374 million) for life-saving food and other aid in Afghanistan, a day ahead of an international conference seeking $4.4 billion, even as concerns mount over Taliban rule.

The UN humanitarian appeal, the largest ever launched for a single country, is only 13% funded, UN spokesperson Jens Laerke said ahead of Thursday’s pledging conference.

He said “funds go directly to aid agencies implementing projects on the ground and none is channelled through the de facto authorities, who took power in August.”

The virtual conference from Geneva, to be opened by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, coincides with concerns over the Islamist rulers backtracking last week on their announcement that secondary schools would open for girls.

Roughly 23 million people are experiencing acute hunger and 95% of Afghans are not eating enough, while 10 million children are in urgent need of aid to survive, according to the United Nations, which will co-host the talks with Britain, Germany and Qatar.