EU announces 1-billion euro aid package for war-torn Afghanistan

BRUSSELS, Oct 12: The European Union (EU) announced on Tuesday a one-billion-euro ($1.2-billion) aid package to war-torn Afghanistan, "to avert a major humanitarian and socio-economic collapse," said the bloc's chief, Ursula von der Leyen.

The EU, which had earlier pledged to donate 300 million euros, announced that it will give an additional 700 million euros ($809.2 million) for the urgent humanitarian needs.
"We must do all we can to avert a major humanitarian and socio-economic collapse in Afghanistan," Reuters quote European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as saying in a statement.

She urged the new regime, which came to power after ousting Ashraf Ghani's government, must first meet the EU's five conditions for longer-term aid.