Over the past two years, the Taliban have persistently claimed improvement in the economic situation, increased revenues, and eradication of corruption in its administrative and financial system. While the group asserts economic improvement and investment in the country, according to statements from the White House and Congress of the United States of America, Afghanistan’s economic system is collapsing, leading to forced marriages, child marriages, and child trafficking. In a letter to Congress, the President of the United States stated that due to the deepening economic collapse of Afghanistan, the state of emergency in connection with this country will be extended after February 11 of the current year. According to this letter, Afghanistan’s economic collapse is considered a threat to U.S. national security.
The White House, in a message to the U.S. Congress, has warned of the possibility of deeper economic collapse in Afghanistan, citing widespread humanitarian crisis in the country. The President of the United States emphasized in a “Message to Congress Regarding the Continuation of National Emergency Status in Light of the Widespread Humanitarian Crisis in Afghanistan and the Possibility of Deep Economic Collapse in Afghanistan” that this crisis threatens U.S. national security.
The President of the United States has informed U.S. Congress that the national emergency status in connection with Afghanistan will be extended after February 11 of this year. According to the White House message citing Biden, “I have decided that given the widespread humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and the possibility of deep economic collapse in Afghanistan, the national emergency declared in Executive Order 14064 shall continue.”
In a message to Congress, the President of the United States stated, “There is a widespread humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, including urgent needs for food security, livelihoods, water, health, shelter shortages, and other needs, and the potential economic collapse of this country deepens every day. The deeper economic collapse in Afghanistan remains an extraordinary and exceptional threat to national security and US foreign policy.”
The White House message emphasized that preserving specific assets of the Central Bank of Afghanistan, whose financial facilities are held in the United States, is paramount for addressing the national emergency and the welfare of the people of Afghanistan.
Joe Biden, the President of the United States, added in this letter that various factions, including representatives of terrorism victims, claim legal rights to the assets of the Central Bank of Afghanistan or express readiness to litigate.
Meanwhile, Mir Shekab Mir, the former official of the Financial Services Development Department of the Central Bank of Afghanistan, told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that the Taliban’s claim of economic improvement does not correlate with poverty reduction indicators. According to him, economic improvement is meaningful when the welfare of the people is ensured and poverty is reduced. The former official of the Financial Services Development Department of the Central Bank of Afghanistan adds that despite the Taliban’s claim of revenue collection, they do not spend it on citizens’ economic welfare and poverty reduction, which has raised serious concerns. Mr. Mir says, “The fundamental concern is that if Afghanistan’s economy collapses and absolute poverty becomes entrenched, it will provide a breeding ground for terrorist groups and could jeopardize global security.”
The official further emphasizes that the concern of the President of the United States arises from the economic collapse and the prevalence of absolute poverty in Afghanistan, which creates a platform for the recruitment of terrorist groups and could threaten US national interests; something Biden has referenced in his letter to U.S. Congress.
The President of the United States has expressed concern about the deepening economic collapse of Afghanistan, as the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has reported, citing United Nations humanitarian partners, that due to economic pressures in Afghanistan, forced marriages and child marriages in the country have increased.
SIGAR has stated that according to United Nations reports, women and girls in Afghanistan are at risk of early marriage, child labor, violence, exploitation, and sexual abuse.
In its January report, SIGAR added: “UN Women estimates that 28.7 percent of girls under 18 are married and nine percent are under 15. UN humanitarian partners report that the rate of child marriages and forced marriages is increasing in response to economic pressures.” The report states that early marriages increase the likelihood of a girl or woman experiencing family violence, having limited access to health care, and receiving lower educational opportunities. The report specifies that victims of child marriages are also subject to Taliban policies that restrict women’s and girls’ access to assistance and services.
Previously, the United Nations stated in its June 2023 report: “Nowhere else in the world has the widespread, systematic, and comprehensive attack on the rights of women and girls been as extensive as in Afghanistan.” The report stated that the Taliban issued more than 100 decrees over the past two years that restrict women’s rights, access to education, employment, and freedom of movement.
Simultaneously, SIGAR has referenced a Gallup poll indicating that women are less satisfied due to their loss of freedom. According to this poll, in 2022, 29% of women were satisfied with their freedom, but in 2023, this figure decreased to 11%.
Previously, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) also stated that Afghanistan’s economy is once again teetering closer to collapse. According to the institute, Afghanistan remains one of the poorest countries in the world with some of the highest humanitarian needs. The American institution, citing two World Bank reports in 2023, said that despite some signs of economic stability in that year, the economy remains weak and unable to create the jobs and livelihoods needed to accommodate the growing population. The institute stated that widespread unemployment is increasing, and a large number of people are unable to meet their basic food needs.
Furthermore, the World Bank stated in a 2023 report that “Afghanistan’s contractual economy is facing fragility.” The President of the World Bank for Afghanistan added: “Afghanistan’s economy is brittle, heavily reliant on foreign aid, and its private sector is weak. To improve the country, priorities must be given to investments in human capital, basic services, and climate resilience, and harmful gender policies must be addressed.” According to the bank, as of October 2023, one in every two Afghans remains in poverty.
The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has stated in a report that Afghanistan is facing serious economic and humanitarian crises following the Taliban’s takeover. According to the organization, Afghanistan’s economy has shrunk by 27% from 2020 to the present, with nearly seven out of every ten people deprived of access to basic services. The UN agency added that the Taliban, in response to the economic crisis, has taken actions such as issuing multi-year contracts with foreign companies in the mining and renewable energy sectors, but these actions are insufficient to address the economic crisis.
Previously, SIGAR has stated that the Taliban benefit from aid provided by the United States through financial permits for entities and administrative expenses. According to the report, this assistance unintentionally legitimizes the Taliban. SIGAR added: “According to UN statistics, 28 million people in Afghanistan are dependent on Global Community food aid this winter. There is no assurance of how much of this aid reaches deserving individuals, and there is still no guarantee that the continuation or cessation of this aid will affect the Taliban’s approach.” SIGAR has reiterated that the United States has provided $2.9 billion in assistance to Afghanistan since August 2021.
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has also warned that due to the food crisis at the beginning of 2024, “one in three children will suffer from hunger.” According to the organization, nearly 8 million children in Afghanistan will face varying degrees of food crisis in the new calendar year.
These concerns about Afghanistan’s fragile economic situation come as the Taliban have been aggressively engaging in extensive and extralegal mining extraction in the country over the past two years to meet their financial needs. They have imposed heavier pressures on citizens by increasing taxes on revenues and simultaneously collecting finances, tithes, and alms from the people.
