US issues licenses to allow aid for Afghans despite sanctions against Taliban

While upholding sanctions on the Taliban, the US Treasury Department on Friday, 24 September, issued two general licenses to facilitate humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan. According to a press release, the Treasury Department said that one license will allow the US government, NGOs and certain international organisations, including the United Nations, to engage in the provision of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. The second license, on the other hand, will authorise certain transactions related to the export and re-export of food, medicine and other items. 

 Office of Foreign Assets Control Director Andrea M. Gacki said, “Treasury is committed to facilitating the flow of humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan and other activities that support their basic human needs.”

Gacki added, “Treasury will continue to work with financial institutions, international organisations, and the non-governmental organisation (NGO) community to ease the flow of critical resources, like agricultural goods, medicine, and other essential supplies, to people in need, while upholding and enforcing our sanctions against the Taliban, the Haqqani Network, and other sanctioned entities.”

Back in August, the Taliban had seized control of Afghanistan as foreign forces allied with the United States withdrew from the war-ravaged country after a 20-year long war. The event had culminated in the capturing of the capital city, Kabul, two decades after the insurgents were driven from power by a US-led campaign following the 9/11 attacks on the US. The Biden administration has since said that the US will continue to allow humanitarian work in Afghanistan despite blacklisting the Taliban as a global terrorist group. 

10mn Afghan children in need of humanitarian aid 

Meanwhile, the latest move comes after the UN Children’s Fund suggested that around 10 million Afghan children require emergency assistance due to a lack of food, medicine, and clean water. Many children are malnourished due to a lack of access to basic needs, according to the UNICEF. Separately, the UNICEF’s executive director, Henrietta Fore had also warned that nearly one million Afghan children are at risk of starvation this year. Fore called on wealthy nations to put political considerations aside and increase humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. 

UNICEF's chief of communications in Afghanistan, Sam Mort, stated "Today in Afghanistan there are nearly 10 million children in urgent need of humanitarian aid. Those least responsible for this crisis are paying the highest price. There are children within communities without access to water because of the drought. There are children missing out on critical vaccines."

(With inputs from ANI)