Afghanistan receives $84 mn in aid from World Bank amid humanitarian crisis

Afghanistan has received $84 million in aid from the World Bank amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the country, TOLO news reported.

The World Bank, in a statement, has said that the humanitarian assistance will be used to deal with the current economic crisis of the nation, provide livelihood projects, support Afghan women, address climate change, and also aid the returning migrants to Afghanistan.

“The project started in 2022 with a grant of $265 million from the ARTF to provide livelihoods support and services in rural and urban areas, support social grants for women and the most vulnerable, and strengthen community institutions for inclusive service delivery,” the World Bank statement read.

The Ministry of Economy welcomed the World Bank’s assistance and stated that it may support economic expansion and project modifications that result in job creation for the nation’s workforce.

“Implementing these projects can lead to job creation, improved service delivery in urban and rural areas, and addressing the issues of migrants returning to the country,” stated Taliban Ministry of Economy spokesperson Abdul Rahman Habib.

In the meantime, several citizens of Kabul told TOLO news that greater aid was necessary given the current circumstances and that it ought to be given out in an open manner.

“The people are poor, destitute, can barely find work for three days in a month, I have ten dependents at home, and I have been in debt for the rent for a year and a half,” said Omar Ali, a Kabul resident, lamenting over the ongoing situation, as per TOLO news.

The majority of international organizations, including the World Bank, stopped operating in Afghanistan after the Taliban reclaimed authority in the nation. It is anticipated that these organisations’ resumed operations will boost the Afghan economy.

First Published: May 02 2024 | 11:32 AM IST