December 17, 2023
3 mins read

World Forgets Afghanistan Amid Global Turmoil

With regard to the dire humanitarian situation, Afghanistan needs nearly $3.2 billion in aid, but just about $1.1 billion has been deployed so far, as per the UN estimates….reports Kavya Dubey

As the illusion of the Taliban “government”, which included some internationally designated terrorists, fell apart, and Afghanistan’s ethnic and regional fault lines lay bare, factions of Taliban vie for power in this basket case.

After the Doha Accord, the US-Taliban peace deal of February 2020 that formalised the end of the 20-year war in Afghanistan, appeared to be going defunct, the Taliban accused the US of not going by the agreement, whereby it would engage with the UN to remove Taliban members from the sanctions list.

Despite the pomp around US’ handover of Afghanistan to a ‘changed’ Taliban, little thought seems to have been spared to Pakistan in this context, with its military and nuclear potency and its tendency to stoke terrorism.

And despite the US’ withdrawal from the region, it banks on cooperation with Pakistan for its interests.

However, with respect to the hitherto abandoned Afghanistan, the country is plunging deeper in dire economic straits. With the Taliban not being recognised internationally, reviving Afghanistan’s economy is becoming increasingly difficult.

With escalating inflation and the US freezing $9.5 billion in Afghan reserves, World Bank and IMF having withdrawn their aid and funding programmes for Afghanistan, the war-ravaged country is left a basket case.

However, notwithstanding the dire economic conditions, and given the resource potential of Afghanistan, the region cannot be truly abandoned altogether. China’s Belt and Road Initiative to usher in with development there and in exchange, exploit its massive mineral resources worth $3 trillion, is a looming possibility.

Besides, the investment-seeking, cash-strapped Taliban government has finalised agreements with Chinese, British, and Turkish companies to develop large-scale mining operations.

However, China has a reason to not rush headfirst into an unstable Afghanistan as the extraction and commercial exploitation of its most valuable mineral resource, lithium, is a process that can take up to 16 years and cannot be a short-term project.

For such an investment-oriented development to take place, negotiation between Taliban and a willing country is inevitable, but even then, the humanitarian catastrophe is the elephant in the room that cannot be overlooked for ever.

Afghanistan’s post-war rebuilding efforts began before the US declared war on terror there in 2001 and retracted in 2021 after the Doha Accord. After Soviet invasion in 1978, Afghans became the largest protracted refugees in the world.

More than 10 million have fled Afghanistan in the anticipation of impending violence. About six million went to Pakistan (which it is intent on returning) and Iran. Besides, more than 1.2 million people have been internally displaced in Afghanistan due to terrorist invasion and expected atrocities.

With such scale of displacement comes the crisis of housing and managing the population and the challenge of sustaining the refugee population with the most basic amenities such as water supply.

As per the UN estimates, there is conflict in 31 out of 34 provinces in Afghanistan, after an expenditure of $650 billion fighting Al Qaeda and the Taliban since 2001. The donor countries have additionally contributed $150 billion in development aid, most of which did not end up for its purpose but evaporated to corruption.

However, interestingly, in a recent and unprecedented development, Afghanistan’s currency outperformed several other currencies in the world. The reason behind tis is understood to be humanitarian aid and increasing trade with Asian neighbours.

However, with regard to the dire humanitarian situation, Afghanistan needs nearly $3.2 billion in aid, but just about $1.1 billion has been deployed so far, as per the UN estimates.

Given these dynamics and the silence around it, a Taliban-run Afghanistan will direct a geopolitical realignment. This will also impact India’s relations with major powers, considering terrorism emanating from this region.

It is hence a time when waiting and watching is the most pragmatic way forward.

ALSO READ: US warns Taliban on terror 

Previous Story

UN’s Myanmar Policy Tested as India, China Take Sides

Next Story

Rohingya Exodus: Asia’s Largest Since Vietnam War

Latest from -Top News

Modi calls Yoga a journey from ‘me’ to ‘we’

PM Modi showered praise on the Andhra Pradesh government for hosting this year’s national celebrations, commending Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan for their leadership. Prime Minister

UK unites for Yoga Day

Celebrations held across iconic landmarks and campuses under theme ‘One Earth, One Health’ The Indian diaspora and local communities across the United Kingdom gathered in large numbers on Friday to mark the

Kenya’s Odinga Slams Adani Deal U-Turn

Before the cancellation of the deal, Odinga was among the leaders who defended the Adani Group….reports Asian Lite News Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Friday expressed disappointment over the cancellation

Hindus in Peril in Bangladesh

The rights group submitted new evidence to the ICC, accusing Muhammad Yunus’s interim government of top-level complicity….reports Asian Lite News The Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM) on Friday condemned a

India Takes Yoga to the World

Ahead of June 21, yoga events are being held worldwide, promoting health, harmony, and well-being for the 11th IDY…reports Asian Lite News Marking a global celebration of India’s cultural heritage, the Indian
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Top Taliban Ministers on UN Sanctions List

UN Special Representative for Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons said Al Qaeda

Blasts new normal in Afghanistan

The first explosion hit a bus, while the second one