The Taliban Proposes Establishment Of Joint Committee For Coordination Of Foreign Aid Distribution

The arrival of humanitarian aid from Indonesia for Afghanistan. (Source: Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

JAKARTA - The Afghan Taliban is proposing the creation of a joint committee of international officials and representatives to help coordinate the billions of dollars in aid planned for the country.

It is unclear whether the United Nations and foreign governments would support such an agreement, as it would constitute increased access to international funding by the Taliban, some of whose leaders have been subject to US sanctions.

The sudden withdrawal of foreign aid following the hasty exit of American troops and the Taliban's surprise victory last August, left Afghanistan's economy on the verge of collapse. Hunger is widespread and the prices of basic goods are soaring.

Western sanctions aimed at the Taliban also prevent the entry of basic supplies of food and medicine, although this has eased after exemptions were passed by the UN Security Council and Washington in December.

On Tuesday, the United Nations asked donors for $4.4 billion or approximately IDR 62.910.540.000.000 in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan by 2022. Meanwhile, the White House announced it would provide an additional $308 million or approximately IDR 4.407.172.000.000.

"The aim of this committee is coordination at higher levels to facilitate humanitarian assistance from the international community and to distribute aid to people in need," Afghan Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi told a news conference in Kabul also attended by UN envoy Ramiz Alakbarov, quoted by Reuters January 14.

"We ask the international community that they use government capacity for their relief purposes."

Foreign governments face warnings that millions could starve as the economic crisis escalates, increasing humanitarian aid, but they want to keep it away from government interference.

A spokesman for Afghanistan's Ministry of Finance said discussions would take place over the next few days with the United Nations on a proposal for a joint agency.

The UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan Alakbarov told Reuters UN agencies had already communicated their requirements to the Taliban regarding assistance. Their main condition is access to the rest of the country, including for female staff.

"International organizations are completely free. They can continue their work according to their own procedures. (We) will provide whatever they need, security, transportation," said Finance Ministry spokesman Ahmad Wali Haqmal.

"The Islamic Emirate (Taliban) doesn't want anything personally, or to distribute aid, we just want to coordinate with international organizations," he concluded.