West has inflicted catastrophic damage on Afghanistan, says David Miliband

The west has inflicted catastrophic damage on Afghanistan and its own reputation by imposing a policy of starvation on the country, according to David Miliband, the former UK foreign secretary and chief executive of the International Rescue Committee.

Miliband has been at the forefront of those lobbying the Biden administration and the World Bank to release cash not only for humanitarian aid but also to start reconstructing the economy.

There are reports that the World Bank board may meet in March to release as much as £1bn that it has so far refused to release.

Fresh from testifying to the Senate foreign relations committee inquiry on the scale of the crisis, Miliband challenged those who believe that withholding aid would produce a more pluralist Taliban.

He said four problems needed to be addressed urgently if the country was to survive the remainder of the winter.

He said the Taliban were being given the perfect excuse not to be challenged on the right of women to go to school since the salaries of teachers were not being paid.