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Blinken says US is not planning to lift existing sanctions
The United States said Tuesday that it will not lift existing sanctions on the Islamic Emirate but it will continue sending humanitarian aid to vulnerable people in Afghanistan.
Testifying before Congress on the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized that humanitarian aid would flow through NGOs and UN agencies in Afghanistan.
“We’ll continue to support humanitarian aid to the Afghan people. Consistent with sanctions, this aid will not flow through the government, but rather through independent organizations like NGOs and UN agencies,” Blinken said.
Blinken’s remarks came on the heels of comments made by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, who called for sanctions to be lifted.
Muttaqi said urgent global help is needed to help deal with the “major humanitarian crisis” currently gripping the country.
Addressing a press conference in Kabul on Tuesday evening, Muttaqi called on Afghan expats to return home to help develop the country and appealed to those in the country to stay and not migrate.
He said the government is doing everything it can to provide job opportunities.
In Blinken’s address to Congress, he said however that sanctions would remain in place but that aid would be sent to Afghanistan.
“There are significant sanctions from the United Nations on the Taliban (Islamic Emirate); there are travel restrictions on the Taliban (Islamic Emirate) and the idea that if the Taliban (Islamic Emirate) is in violation of the Security Council Resolution that we established, it will get any relief just on that alone, the UN sanctions or travel restrictions, I think that’s pretty clear that that won’t happen, that’s just one point of leverage,” Blinken said.
“We want to make sure that assistance continues to flow; humanitarian assistance, including assistance that’s directed at special needs of women and girls; we’re doing that consistent with our sanctions and we’re able to do that by working through NGO’s and the UN agencies.”
Muttaqi meanwhile said on Tuesday that security is being maintained around the country and called on foreign businesses to invest in Afghanistan.
He said the country is currently facing many problems including a brain drain. “Afghanistan is in dire need of help,” he said.
Reiterating his calls for global support, Muttaqi said the Islamic Emirate is willing to work with all countries including the United States but made it clear they “will not be dictated to”.
Calling for sanctions to be lifted against the Islamic Emirate, Muttaqi added “we can not allow any sanctions or embargoes” to be imposed on Afghanistan.
Officials at the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) say 7,000 incomplete projects of the World Bank are at risk of destruction in Afghanistan. They call on the World Bank to resume the work of these projects.
According to them, discussions have been held with the World Bank about these projects, but there has been no result yet.
“7,000 incomplete projects are being destroyed, and if the work is not started, these projects will be destroyed. We ask the World Bank to resume the work of these projects as soon as possible,” said Noorul Hadi Adel, the spokesperson of MRRD.
Meanwhile, members of the private sector also ask international institutions to resume their work in Afghanistan.
According to the officials of this sector, with the start of these projects, job opportunities will be provided for thousands of people in the country.
“These projects create employment for our people and the country will grow a lot,” said Mirwais Hajizadeh, a member of the private sector.
However, economic experts stated if the work of these projects does not start soon, they will be destroyed and the investments made in them will be wasted.
Ten people have been killed and six others injured by floods in Helmand province in the past week, local officials said on Friday.
According to officials, seven of those were members of the same family, and they were killed in Kajaki district last night.
“Most of the people moved from vulnerable areas to high lands and mountains, and thanks Allah the number of casualties is low,” Sher Mohammad Vahdat, the head of information of the Directorate of Information and Culture in Helmand, said adding rescue teams and security forces have been dispatched to help people.
It is said that the telecommunication system has also been disrupted due to the effect of floods in Kajaki district. Floods have also destroyed thousands of acres of agricultural land.
Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, met with the Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi and discussed issues related to Afghanistan, it was announced on Thursday.
During the meeting, Otunbayeva thanked India for “its critical humanitarian support and longstanding friendship for the Afghan people” and discussed the importance of regional and international cooperation to address prevailing challenges in Afghanistan, UNAMA said on X.
Jaishankar also said on X that the sides exchanged views on the current situation in Afghanistan.
“Underlined that India has provided wheat, medicines, pesticides and school supplies. Appreciate the role of UN agencies as partners in these endeavors,” he said.
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