Despite the sanctions imposed on the Taliban, the United States still allows aid to Afghanistan | Humanitarian Crisis News

The United States is granting two licenses to allow various entities to provide humanitarian assistance to the country.

Fearing that sanctions against the Taliban will worsen ongoing humanitarianism Afghanistan crisis, The United States has taken measures to pave the way for aid to flow into this economically paralyzed country.

The U.S. Treasury Department said on Friday that it has issued two general licenses, one of which allows the U.S. government, non-governmental organizations, and certain international organizations, including the United Nations, to trade with the Taliban or the Haqqani network-both Subject to sanctions-this is necessary humanitarian assistance.

The second license authorizes certain transactions related to the export and re-export of food, medicine and other items.

Andrea Gach, director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, said in a statement: “The Treasury Department is committed to promoting the flow of humanitarian aid to the Afghan people and other activities that support their basic human needs.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres decided to contact the Taliban to help the people of the country [Bernat Armangue/AP Photo]

She added that Washington will continue to work with financial institutions, non-governmental organizations and international organizations to ease the flow of agricultural products, medicines and other resources, while insisting on sanctions against the Taliban, the Haqqani network and other organizations.

this Taliban As foreign troops allied with the United States withdrew from Afghanistan after 20 years of war, they seized control of the country last month.Event ended up at Occupy the capital Kabul, Twenty years after the Taliban were ousted by a movement led by the United States on August 15th, after the attack on the United States on September 11th.

United Nations He said that at the beginning of this year, more than 18 million people (about half of the population of Afghanistan) needed assistance during the country’s second drought in four years.

Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres Said last week Afghanistan is on the verge of a “serious humanitarian disaster” and has decided to contact the Taliban to help the people of the country.

Although Washington lists the Taliban as a specially designated global “terrorist” organization, the administration of US President Joe Biden has stated that it is committed to allowing humanitarian work in Afghanistan to continue.

The sanctions freeze any assets of the Taliban in the United States and prohibit Americans from dealing with the organization, including the provision of funds, goods or services.

The World Health Organization has urged funding for Afghanistan’s health plan to restore[Bernat Armangue/AP Photo]

Friday’s move expanded this particular permit to allow international organizations and non-governmental organizations to pay taxes, fees, import duties or permits, permits or other necessary transactions to help the Afghan people.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Finance said that these permits allow non-governmental organizations and foreign financial institutions to continue to provide humanitarian assistance, such as providing food, shelter, medicine and medical services, including COVID-19 assistance.

The spokesperson said: “We have not reduced the pressure on the Taliban leaders or imposed major restrictions on their access to the international financial system.”

On Friday, Afghans staged a protest in Kabul, calling for the release of central bank assets held in the United States.

The U.S. freezes $9 billion in Afghanistan foreign exchange reserves The meeting held in New York and the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the European Union have suspended financing of projects in Afghanistan.

Officials from the country’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry stated that if these funds were not available, the Kabul interim government would not even be able to pay the import taxes required for containerized foods shipped from Pakistan.

Representatives of the World Health Organization, Médecins Sans Frontières Afghanistan, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent On the verge of collapse And urged funding for the restoration of the country’s health plan.