Donors pledged more than a billion dollars to help Afghanistan at a conference in Geneva, writes France24.

Poverty and hunger have spiralled and foreign aid has dried up since the August 15 fall of Kabul - a desperate situation that means the international community must engage with the Taliban to help the needy, according to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

After decades of war and suffering, Afghans are facing “perhaps their most perilous hour”, Guterres said in his opening remarks to the Geneva donor conference.

“The people of Afghanistan are facing the collapse of an entire country - all at once”, - he continued.

The UN chief said food supplies could run out by the end of this month, and the World Food Programme said 14 million people were on the brink of starvation.