The Taliban's First Annual Budget, More Expenditures Than Income

JAKARTA - For the first time after taking full control of Afghanistan, the Taliban have released details of their country's finances. And there is a very wide deficit in the Taliban budget.

Quoted from Channel News Asia, Saturday, May 14, Afghanistan is facing a budget deficit of 44 billion Afghans or the equivalent of $501 million for this year, the Taliban authorities said.

The Taliban announced their first annual national budget since they took control of the country in August last year. Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi said the government estimated spending at 231.4 billion Afghans and domestic revenue of 186.7 billion Afghans.

"The receipt is a levy from the departments related to customs, ministries, and mining," said Ministry of Finance spokesman Ahmad Wali Haqmal.

Hanafi said the budget for the current fiscal year, which runs until next February, had been approved by the ministry's council and confirmed by the Taliban's supreme leader Haibatullah Akhunzada. And they made sure to only use local funds.

The construction will cost up to 27.9 billion Afghans. But they did not release details of spending on other areas such as defense.

“We have been paying attention to education, technical education, and higher education and all our focus is on how to pave the way of education for everyone,” Hanafi said.

Taliban authorities have yet to allow the resumption of education for older girls across the country after committing to a start date earlier this year.

Since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, Western-backed governments have relied on foreign aid. In August 2021, foreign troops withdrew from Afghanistan, leading to the collapse of the government and the takeover of the Taliban.