U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, has addressed the U.N. Security Council, saying the world must consider how effective its engagement with the Taliban-run country is as millions face hunger.

In his speech, he said the restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women were a key concern and called for more help from the international community.

Statistics from the U.N. World Food Programme say 17 million people - around one third of the population - are facing acute food shortages, including nearly five million experiencing emergency levels of hunger.

• UNICEF calls on Afghanistan's Taliban authorities to lift the ban on girls' education
• UNDP report warns of worsening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan linked to mass returns

U.N. officials warn the crisis is worsening as funding falls short. Humanitarian agencies hope to assist 17.5 million Afghans next year through a 1.7 billion-dollar appeal, but it appears that so far only about 10 per cent of that funding has been secured.

Authorities also caution that ongoing regional tensions and rising prices are adding pressure and warn that, without action, Afghanistan could again become a source of broader instability.

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