Taliban deputy PM Baradar meets UNDP director in Doha, seeks help

Kabul [Afghanistan], October 26 (ANI): Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban-announced interim government's acting Deputy Prime Minister, met United Nations Development Program's (UNDP) Director Achim Steiner in Doha and discussed various issues including the deteriorating economic situation, a media report said.
Mohammad Naeem, the Taliban's spokesperson for the political office, said in a series of tweets that the meeting focused on the current situation in Afghanistan, according to Ariana News.
Naeem also said that during the meeting some other issues were also discussed such as the deteriorating economic situation in the country and the treatment of drug addicts.
Expressing his gratitude to UNDP for its help, Mullah Baradar called on the UNDP to increase their assistance to the people in various fields. In response, Steiner also pledged continued support to Afghans.
Earlier on Saturday, Swedish Development Minister Per Olsson Fridh warned that Afghanistan would collapse into chaos unless the international community acted rapidly.
"The country is on the brink of collapse and that collapse is coming faster than we thought," Fridh said.
Emphasising that economic freefall could provide an environment for terrorist groups to thrive, Fridh stressed that Sweden would not channel money through the Taliban. Instead, it will boost humanitarian contributions through Afghan civil society groups, according to Dawn. (ANI)