An estimated 23 million people in Afghanistan, out of its over 37 million population, are facing a dire food crisis and the UN is working on developing mechanisms to help prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.  Second Deputy Prime Minister of Taliban Abdul Salam Hanafi met in Kabul with the chief of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), David Beasley, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said.

Hanafi noted that Afghanistan was ready to cooperate with a number of UN agencies, whose assistance was needed in the areas of humanitarian aid, reconstruction and education, Russian news agency Sputnik said.

On November 4, WFP started distributing cash to poor families in Afghanistan. The organization provides 3,500 Afghan Afghanis (about $38) per month to low-income families in a bid to help the population through the ongoing economic crisis, as well as tackle poverty in the country. Over 4,000 families will be eligible for WFP payments in the next four months.

Ever since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in early September, the country has been witnessing the worsening of its economic and humanitarian situations.