WASHINGTON, 12 January 2022, (TON): A group of Afghans, including former government officials and representatives of civil society organizations, held a one-day conference in Washington in an effort to encourage communication and cooperation between US authorities and the Taliban government in Kabul to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Afghan people.

The Afghan Peace and Humanitarian Task Force said it wants to help keep all lines of communication open between the international community and the Taliban in an effort to prevent a humanitarian disaster.

Conference organizers said “the Afghan Peace and Humanitarian Task Force is initiating the Washington Conference on Peace and Humanitarian Assistance for Afghanistan primarily to forge common terms between the United States and the Taliban government, and to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the starving Afghans (to prevent) the unfolding catastrophe.”

The participants also discussed the potential security threat to the US and the wider world if Afghanistan remains isolated, as it was under the 1990s Taliban rule.

Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi addressed the conference from Kabul. He answered questions and pledging cooperation with the international community to alleviate the humanitarian crisis.

He told media that the humanitarian situation is dire and the lack of international recognition of local financial institutions in Afghanistan is complicating access to international aid.