Many Afghans still urgently need humanitarian help despite recent political and security improvements, one of the world's leading aid workers says.
Morten Rostrup, international president of Medecins Sans Frontieres, believes drought, insecurity and a newer threat - unexploded American bombs - are prolonging Afghans' hardships.
Visiting Hong Kong after two weeks assessing humanitarian needs around the southern city of Kandahar, the last stronghold of the Taleban regime to be taken by Northern Alliance and US troops, he said the fall of the extremist group and a virtual end to the US bombing campaign had as yet not guaranteed basic needs such as water, food and shelter.
'There is no way of saying that due to the new Government, people can return to their homes,' Dr Rostrup said. 'This is a crisis which has gone on for many years and it will take a long time to go back to a normal, sustainable and acceptable situation.'
Medecins Sans Frontieres is the world's largest medical aid organisation and has had a constant presence in Afghanistan since 1979. It has more than 70 foreign aid workers and several hundred Afghan staff throughout the country.
Many other aid agencies have limited operations there, or have not mobilised workers due to security fears.