Ever since the Taliban control of the Afghan capital on August 15th leading to former president Ashraf Ghani’s fleeing the country, the international monetary fund and world bank have cut Afghanistan’s access to funds resulting into a decline in the economy.
The country’s acting foreign minister Amir Khan Mattaqi strongly criticised the US for it’s actions towards the newly led Taliban government and serving economic assistance after Taliban got hold of power last month.
While making his first address to the media since the Taliban announced its care taker government last week, Muttaqi on Tuesday stressed his disappointment with the US government saying that they tried to evacuate all American citizens but they were repaid with sanctions.
“[We] helped the US until the evacuation of their last person, but unfortunately, the US, instead of thanking us, froze our assets,” he said on Aljazeera.
Muttaqi however thanked the international community for pledging more than $1bn of aid for Afghanistan at a UN donor conference on Monday.
“We welcome the pledge of emergency aid funding committed to Afghanistan during yesterday’s meeting hosted by the UN in Geneva,” he said.
The country that depends on some 40% foreign aid for the last 20 years according to the world bank, has failed to get formal reconginition from any government which could further affect the Afghan economy.
Muttaqi said the government was willing to work with any country, including the US, but said it will not be “dictated to” by any state.
UN chief Antonio Guterres remarked at the donor conference that it would be “impossible” to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan without engaging with the Taliban.
Source. Aljazeera
