The Ministry of Economy, in response to the approval of the US bill that the interim government does not have access to financial aid, has once again denied claims there is any interference in the aid of the international community to Afghanistan.
Abdul Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister of Economy, emphasized that to reach the goal of helping people in need, this ministry only monitors how it is distributed.
Nazari told TOLOnews: “The Islamic Emirate only supervises the distribution of aid and the reason is for this aid to not be wasted and so it is distributed to needy people; but the fact that there are some reports related to the involvement of the Islamic Emirate, we completely and strongly reject them.”
The House of Representatives of the United States of America has approved a bill based on which the interior government’s access to foreign aid is prohibited.
Tim Burchett, R-Tenn, Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the US House of Representatives, said: “Second, it calls for a report on cash assistance programs in Afghanistan that puts the safeguards in place to prevent the Taliban from accessing it, keeping them from getting to the money. Third, it requires a report on the Afghan Fund in the Afghanistan Central Bank and what controls are in place to make sure these funds are not diverted or misused. ”
In the last three years, the United States has provided 2.8 billion dollars to Afghanistan, but several economic experts said that this aid can be effective if they are spent on long-term infrastructure projects.
Mohammad Nabi Afghan, who is knowledgeable about economic issues, said: “No matter how these funds come to Afghanistan, they will be very useful in several of our sectors. First, the entry of the dollar itself is useful. Second, aid has been provided, although most of it has been used for their purposes.”
Abd al-Zhohar, an expert on economic issues, said: “Foreign aid can increase liquidity and money inside Afghanistan, although in the short term. But when aid is reduced or cut off, it can renew the deterioration and economic crisis in Afghanistan.”
Senior officials from various countries have pledged nearly $842 million to address the humanitarian emergency in Afghanistan during a meeting in Brussels.
At this meeting, hosted by the European Union to discuss engagement with Afghanistan, senior officials from several countries also announced that addressing Afghanistan’s situation is one of their priorities.
It has been said that this meeting also discussed progress in Afghanistan’s social and economic sectors.
Andreas Papaconstantinou, Director for Neighbourhood and Middle East for the European Commission, said that the Commission had very good discussions about delivering humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and the regional Afghan refugee crisis. It maintains support for Afghans, and donors have announced an amount of $841.9 million dollars to address humanitarian emergencies in this country.
The Ministry of Economy of the Islamic Emirate praised the countries’ commitment to helping the people of Afghanistan.
Abdul Rahman Habib, spokesperson for the Ministry of Economy, told TOLOnews: “In addition to humanitarian aid, supporting development projects can provide permanent employment opportunities for people and prevent poverty.”
“The main goal of humanitarian aid is to stand up, strengthen the economy, and reduce and eliminate poverty,” said Asif Nang, an economic analyst.
Previously, the United States special inspector for the reconstruction of Afghanistan claimed that from August 2021 until now in Afghanistan, America’s partners have paid 10.9 million dollars as taxes, expenses, and funds for water and electricity to the interim government of Afghanistan.—Tolonews
