Afghanistan’s frozen $9bn can be released

Talks between US special envoy and Afghan Foreign Minister start after March 23

Picture source - Reuters

According to US media, $9 billion of Afghan frozen funds can be released after the latest talks held on Thursday between the two countries after a gap of more than three months in Doha.

Starting a dialogue with Afghan leadership US State Department official told the media that since March 23, the time when the Taliban government put a ban on Afghan girls’ education and forced them to not attend schools, it was the first in-person engagement with the top leadership of the Taliban.

US media has also stated that releasing frozen Afghan assets would be helpful for the war-ravaged nation to deal with the poverty and the hunger crisis.

Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West with US Treasury Deputy General Counsel Addel Levi and ISAID Deputy Assistant Secretary Maria Longi was representing US whereas the Taliban was represented by Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Thomas West had replaced the previous special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also announced $55 million for earthquake victims in Afghanistan has brought the total assistance by the US to Afghanistan on a humanitarian basis in a year to over $74 million.