The ban on working in humanitarian cooperation does not apply only to women but could be extended to everyone, at least in the southwestern province. While the United Nations decides how to respond to the new impositions, money transfers to Afghanistan have been suspended. Yesterday, the aid mission clarified that no funds were released to the Taliban authorities.
Kabul () – The Taliban have not only banned women from working for non-governmental organizations, but in the province of Nimruz, in the south-west of the country, no NGO can take on staff without approval from the authorities.
The new imposition makes humanitarian work even more difficult, already difficult and precarious after “Quranic students” reconquered the country in August 2021. When the Taliban returned to power, the previous government’s bank assets were frozen, leaving behind held in US banks because the international community – including less democratic countries – opposes recognition of the Taliban government. Since then, everything has come to a standstill and the economic and financial situation has worsened: it is estimated that close to 20 million people – half the population – will suffer from acute hunger in March of this year, and almost the entire country is already is in a condition of extreme poverty.
For its part, the United Nations Security Council is preparing to hold an extraordinary meeting to decide how to proceed with the ban on women working in cooperation. On the other hand, international funds transfers to alleviate the suffering of the Afghan population have been (momentarily) blocked, which has caused an immediate depreciation of the Afghani, the local currency, and an increase in costs.
The UN Aid Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) issued yesterday a statement to explain how the funds destined for that country are managed, after the American magazine Foreign Policy (FP) accused the Taliban at the end of December to steal funds intended for the population to divert them to their supporters, a maneuver that would allow them to finance a series of illegal activities and try not to lose supporters who, disappointed by the measures taken so far (within the Taliban, factions more or less extremists) can join the local branch of the Islamic State, the Is-K.
According to sources quoted by FP, the money never reaches those who need it, but part is deposited in the Central Bank, controlled by the Taliban, and another part in the Afghanistan International Bank, where the UN agencies have private bank accounts. .
The UNAMA statement explains that “all cash sent to Afghanistan is deposited in special accounts in a private bank for use by the United Nations” and “all funds are then distributed directly to UN agencies, as well as to a small number of humanitarian partners”, and that “no amount is deposited in the Central Bank of Afghanistan or turned over to the Taliban de facto authorities”.
Since December 2021, the United Nations has managed to bring Afghanistan only 1.8 billion dollars, although an appeal has been launched to raise 4.4 billion, which increased to 4.6 billion by 2023.
