Joe Biden signs executive order to try to free up frozen Afghan assets for aid

As Afghanistan faces a worsening humanitarian and economic crisis, US President Joe Biden on Friday (local time) signed an Executive Order as part of an effort to set aside USD 3.5 billion in Afghan central bank assets for the benefit of the Afghan people.

In a statement, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, "the people of Afghanistan face enormous challenges: an economic crisis born of decades of dependence on international aid, severe drought, COVID-19, and endemic corruption."

The statement said that the US also recognize that victims of terrorism, including of the September 11 terrorist attacks, have brought claims against the Taliban and are pursuing the central bank's remaining assets in federal court.

"This Administration will continue to support these victims and their families, recognizing the enduring pain they have suffered at the hands of terrorists, including those who operated from Afghanistan prior to the September 11 attacks. These victims and their families should have a full opportunity to set forth their arguments in court," the statement added.

The statement said that Afghanistan's economic challenges were exacerbated when the Taliban decided to take the country by force rather than through a negotiated settlement. "But America's ties to the people of Afghanistan, built during two decades of working side-by-side, are steadfast and enduring," the statement added.

The Taliban took over Afghanistan after entering Kabul in August 2021, leading to the collapse of the Ashraf Ghani led government and mass evacuations.

A combination of a suspension of foreign aid, the freezing of Afghan government assets, and international sanctions on the Taliban, have plunged the country, already suffering from high poverty levels, into a full-blown economic crisis.

(ANI)

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