KABUL (SW) – Afghanistan will need continued financial support from the international community following a potential political settlement, a new World Bank report said on Thursday.
In a fresh report that examines the country’s overall medium-term financing needs under a range of political and economic scenarios, the World Bank concluded that Afghanistan will require $6 billion to $8 billion a year in international grants between 2020 and 2024 to fund basic services, support faster economic growth, and consolidate and sustain any potential reduction in violence following a political settlement with the Taliban.
“An improving security situation, political stability, and freedom of movement can help increase private sector investment and job creation. But the gap between revenue and public expenditure remains large, and certain expenditure needs may increase following a political settlement,” said Henry Kerali, World Bank Country Director for Afghanistan. “While a gradual decline in grant support can and should occur, it needs to be carefully calibrated to economic realities, to avoid deterioration in services and development outcomes. Such a deterioration may, itself, imperil prospects for sustainable peace”
As per the report, while Afghanistan has achieved remarkable progress in increasing revenues over recent years, the gap between revenues and expenditures remains wide.
It noted Afghanistan continues to rely on grants to finance 75 percent of its total public expenditures. Total revenues currently amount to around $2.5 billion per year, while expenditures reach around $11 billion per year.
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