Taliban hails UN Security Council's decision to exempt senior officials from travel ban

The Taliban leadership in Afghanistan has applauded the United Nations Security Council's (UNSC) decision to exempt a number of high-ranking Taliban officials from the travel ban. The UNSC has decided to exempt senior Taliban leaders from the travel ban for 90 days, from December 22, 2021, to March 21, 2022. Leading Islamic Emirate officials such as Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai have been exempted primarily for travel to participate in peace and stability discussions in other countries.

Meanwhile, Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) spokesperson Inamullah Samangani has called for the removal of Taliban officials from the UN and US blacklists. He stated that the removal should have been done long ago, ANI reported citing Khaama Press. The UN Security Council's terrorism blacklist includes at least 14 members of the Taliban's interim administration in Kabul, including acting Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund. After seizing control of Afghanistan and announcing an interim government, the Taliban is also struggling to gain international recognition.

Afghanistan's economy on the brink of collapse: UN

Afghanistan is battling to support its economy, which is on the verge of collapse, according to UN estimates. Adding to the country's woes, Organizations like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have stopped disbursing allotments to the war-ravaged country since the Taliban took control of Kabul. In addition, the United States also blocked nearly $9 billion in Afghan Central Bank accounts. Subsequently, several relief organisations and foreign governments cut off funding to Afghanistan, causing a severe scarcity of food, medical supplies, and other essentials in the war-torn country, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). 

UN intends to recommend $8 billion in aid to Afghanistan

Meanwhile, the United Nations has decided to recommend $8 billion in aid to Afghanistan for the coming year in order to help the country's economy recover. The UN's plan would have to go beyond its existing humanitarian mission to include restoring governance structures and social services, such as providing meals in schools, creating jobs, and finding a way for Afghanistan to meet its electrical obligations to its neighbours, reported Wall Street Jornal. Since the Taliban's takeover, International donors have provided more than $1 billion to tackle growing needs for the remainder of 2021, including providing food to seven million people in November.

With inputs from ANI

Image: Twitter/@HabibiSamangani/PTI