[ti:UN Warns of Massive Food Crisis in Afghanistan] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]The United Nations has warned that Afghanistan [00:04.48]is facing a massive food crisis. [00:08.80]It urged the international community to act quickly [00:13.92]to increase levels of humanitarian aid to help the people. [00:21.08]The director of the U.N.'s World Food Programme (WFP), [00:25.28]David Beasley, said millions of Afghans could die of starvation [00:32.28]unless immediate action is taken to provide assistance. [00:38.96]Beasley told Reuters an estimated 23 million people [00:44.60]currently face severe food insecurity [00:49.04]and were "marching to starvation." [00:53.12]This compares to 14 million people [00:56.80]who were facing the same situation just two months ago. [01:02.76]"Children are going to die. People are going to starve," Beasley said. [01:09.52]"Things are going to get a lot worse." [01:14.20]He added: "I don't know how you don't have millions of people, [01:19.40]and especially children, dying at the rate we are going [01:24.68]with the lack of funding and the collapsing of the economy." [01:30.48]Afghanistan's economic situation worsened in August [01:35.84]after Taliban fighters drove out the country's Western-backed [01:41.08]government and seized power. [01:45.00]The Taliban takeover led many international donors [01:50.28]to hold back billions of dollars in assistance. [01:55.84]The food crisis has worsened [01:58.64]because of the effects of climate change. [02:02.08]It was severe even before the Taliban took over the government. [02:07.92]Now, the Taliban is blocked from accessing money [02:12.32]and property held outside the country by nations [02:16.88]still deciding how to deal with the Taliban government. [02:23.04]Beasley said that money already meant for development assistance [02:28.52]should be repurposed for humanitarian aid. [02:32.72]Some countries have already redirected aid in this way. [02:38.64]Beasley added that money frozen by other nations [02:43.56]could be released through U.N. agencies. [02:47.44]"You've got to unfreeze these funds so people can survive," he said. [02:55.52]U.N. officials have said the World Food Programme [03:00.24]needs up to $220 million a month to partly feed [03:06.96]the millions of Afghans facing food insecurity as winter nears. [03:14.72]Economic problems have led many Afghans to sell [03:19.24]personal belongings to pay for food, Reuters reported. [03:25.28]The latest food crisis has hit both cities and rural areas. [03:32.64]Aid groups have urged countries [03:35.52]that are concerned about human rights under the Taliban [03:39.60]to start negotiations with the new rulers [03:43.92]before the situation gets worse. [03:47.72]Beasley said a total economic collapse in Afghanistan [03:52.76]could create a massive refugee flow similar [03:57.60]to the 2015 migration crisis from Syria into Europe. [04:04.84]"I don't think the leaders in the world [04:08.04]realize what is coming their way," Beasley said. [04:12.64]When asked about the country's humanitarian crisis, [04:18.04]Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid [04:22.04]told Agence France-Presse on Sunday: [04:26.32]"We are trying to get our people [04:28.80]out of the current situation and help them. [04:32.76]He added that "humanitarian aid has also arrived." [04:38.36]Mujahid said the government was attempting [04:42.68]to collect and give out necessities to those in need, [04:47.56]including food and clothing. [04:50.40]He promised, "All worries will be resolved." [04:55.84]I'm Bryan Lynn. 更多听力请访问51VOA.COM