At a press conference in the capital Kabul, he pledged that the Taliban should wisely spend the promised aid on the poor to the pious:

- The Islamic Emirate will do its best to help people in need and this in a completely transparent way.

Countries merge

The outcome comes the day after a donor conference led by the UN office in Geneva prompted the international community to donate 1.2 billion dollars (equivalent to just over ten billion kronor) to aid efforts in Afghanistan.

The money is needed to help eleven million people in urgent need of food and medical equipment and to 3.4 million people in need of life-sustaining health care, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday.

In order for the emergency aid to last until the end of the year, he had hoped for five billion dollars from the donor countries.

Tortured people

Afghanistan, heavily dependent on outside aid, is suffering from a severe economic crisis.

The new authorities are unable to pay salaries at the same time as food prices are soaring.

In addition, there is drought with poorer harvests as a result.

Amir Khan Muttaqi also took the opportunity to ask the United States to show appreciation for the fact that the Taliban allowed last month's troop withdrawal, when more than 120,000 American soldiers were evacuated.

- America is a big country, they need a big heart, he says.

The EU is approaching

In the European Parliament in Strasbourg, EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell stated on Tuesday that the EU has no choice but to talk to the new Taliban regime.

The EU will try to organize a diplomatic presence in Kabul, he said:

- The Afghan crisis is not over.

To have any opportunity to influence the course of events, we have no other option but to engage with the Taliban.

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Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks - in 60 seconds Photo: TT archive