Amid concern that sanctions on the Taliban would worsen a unbroken humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the us has taken steps to pave the way for aid to flow into the economically paralysed nation.
The US Department of the Treasury on Friday said it issued two general licences, one allowing the United States government , NGOs and certain international organisations, including the United Nations , to interact in transactions with the Taliban or Haqqani Network – both under sanctions – that are necessary to supply humanitarian assistance.
The second licence authorises certain transactions associated with the export and re-export of food, medicine and other items.
“Treasury is committed to facilitating the flow of humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan and other activities that support their basic human needs,” Andrea Gacki, director of the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, said within the statement.
She added that Washington will still work with financial institutions, NGOs and international organisations to ease the flow of agricultural goods, medicine and other resources while upholding sanctions on the Taliban, Haqqani Network et al. .
The Taliban seized control of the country last month as foreign forces allied with the US withdrew from Afghanistan after a 20-year war. The events culminated within the capture of the capital, Kabul, on Assumption , 20 years after the Taliban was driven from power by a US-led campaign following the 9/11 attacks on the us .
The United Nations said that at the beginning of the year quite 18 million people – about half Afghanistan’s population – need help amid the country’s second drought in four years.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said last week that Afghanistan is on “the verge of a dramatic humanitarian disaster” and has decided to interact with the Taliban so as to assist the country’s people.
US President Joe Biden’s administration has said it’s committed to allowing humanitarian add Afghanistan to continue, despite Washington listing the Taliban as a specially designated global “terrorist” group.
The sanctions freeze any assets the Taliban has within the US and bar Americans from handling the group, including the contribution of funds, goods or services.
Friday’s move expands thereon specific licence, allowing international organisations and NGOs to pay taxes, fees, import duties or permits, licences or other necessary transactions for assistance to succeed in the people of Afghanistan.
The licences allow NGOs and foreign financial institutions to continue humanitarian assistance like the delivery of food, shelter, medicine and medical services, including COVID-19 assistance, a Treasury spokesperson said.
“We haven’t reduced sanctions pressure on Taliban leaders or the many restrictions on their access to the international economic system ,” the spokesperson said.
On Friday, Afghans held a protest in Kabul, calling for the discharge of financial institution assets held within the US.
The US froze $9bn US in Afghan foreign reserves held in ny and therefore the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development , and therefore the International fund and European Union have suspended financing for projects in Afghanistan.
Without access to those funds, the interim government in Kabul cannot even pay the import taxes needed to bring containers of food from Pakistan, the country’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry officials said.
The World Health Organization, Afghanistan’s representatives from Doctors borderless , and therefore the refore the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent said the country’s health system is on the brink of collapse and has urged for funding to resume for the country’s health programme.