Afghan bank’s cash remarks ‘misleading, unhelpful’

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The U.N. criticized Afghanistan’s Taliban-controlled central bank for making “misleading and unhelpful” remarks about cash destined for humanitarian work. This comes amid increasing tension between the U.N. and the country’s leaders over bans on female employment and education.

The money is used by the U.N. mostly to provide critical humanitarian assistance to millions of Afghans.

After the takeover, foreign assistance was cut off. World governments imposed sanctions, halted bank transfers and froze billions more in Afghanistan’s currency reserves, unwilling to work with the Taliban, given their rule in the late 1990s and their refusal to educate girls and allow women to work.

Since the beginning of 2018, the Taliban have prohibited females from any education beyond sixth grade. This includes university.

They recently banned women from working in non-governmental organisations, both national and international. This has been condemned by the U.N. and aid agencies as well as foreign governments. It also raised concerns about Afghans suffering and dying if female workers are not allowed to work in humanitarian relief. Despite repeated requests and visits by high-ranking U.N. officials and foreign officials, the Taliban have not shown any signs of changing their stance.

Their chief spokesperson says that authorities won’t allow un-Islamic activities to be conducted in Afghanistan, and that humanitarian aid should not include politics.

Late Saturday, the U.N. in Afghanistan issued an official statement in response to a tweet by the Taliban-controlled central banking, in which it stated that a package worth $40 million had been deposited at a Kabul commercial bank. It uploaded a photo showing wads and cash.

“Da Afghanistan Bank (the Afghan central bank) appreciates any principled move that will bring currency to the country and help the needy in the society,” the tweet said.

But the U.N. said its cash is placed into designated accounts in a private bank and distributed directly to its agencies and a small number of “approved and vetted” humanitarian partners in Afghanistan.

“None of the cash brought is deposited in the Central Bank of Afghanistan nor provided to the Taliban de facto authorities by the UN,” the world body said in a statement. “Announcements of non-UN entities concerning UN. fund shipments are misleading & unhelpful.”

Since December 2021, the United Nations has brought in approximately $1.8 billion to help its partners and continue their work.

It said the amount of cash brought in to Afghanistan is proportional to the U.N.’s program of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan.

“If the volume of assistance that the UN is able to provide diminishes the amount of cash shipped will be reduced,” the U.N. said.

The cash transfer mechanism was essential for providing life-saving assistance to over 25 million Afghans, according to the statement.