Following claims by Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, regarding the delivery of U.S. humanitarian aid to the de-facto government in Afghanistan, Hamdullah Fetrat, Deputy Spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, has denied the allegations.
“The claim of billions and millions of dollars in aid to the Islamic Emirate from the U.S. is incorrect, and we strongly condemn it,” said Fetrat.
In a statement on Wednesday, January 8, Fetrat clarified: “The reality is that the U.S. has not given any funds to the Islamic Emirate; instead, they have seized and frozen billions of dollars of Afghan people’s money.” He added that the Islamic Emirate neither expects aid from the U.S. nor has ever requested it.
He further stated that the funds mentioned by the United States are actually expenses related to U.S. operations, including the evacuation of American forces from Afghanistan and the relocation and settlement of Afghan citizens who fled with them.
Fetrat also pointed out that part of U.S. funds was allocated to international organizations under the guise of humanitarian aid. He emphasized: “If analyzed closely, the U.S. has used all these funds in the name of Afghanistan to serve its own objectives and is attempting to spread propaganda against the Islamic Emirate through this.”
Officials at the Ministry of Economy also informed Salam Watandar that the Islamic Emirate has no involvement in the execution of foreign humanitarian aid in Afghanistan.
Abdul Rahman Habib, spokesperson for the ministry, said that all foreign humanitarian aid is currently being implemented by relevant offices of the respective organizations, without interference from the de-facto government.
He added, “Humanitarian assistance from aid organizations and countries has been carried out by their own offices from the very beginning, without any involvement from the Islamic Emirate’s offices. Humanitarian aid is implemented based on international laws and principles, including neutrality and human dignity.”
On January 7, President-elect Donald Trump criticized the U.S. government’s delivery of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, stating that it was unacceptable to provide billions of dollars in assistance to the country. “We are not giving millions, but billions of dollars to Afghanistan, and to the Taliban (Islamic Emirate). This is unbelievable, and it should not be happening,” Trump said in a press conference.
In light of Trump’s criticism of U.S. financial assistance to Afghanistan, concerns have now arisen about the potential suspension of U.S. humanitarian aid and its consequences for the country.
Silab Samandar, an economic expert, said that if U.S. humanitarian aid to Afghanistan were cut, poverty would increase significantly in the country. “The financial and economic assistance from the U.S. and its partners, which has provided $1.2 billion annually in cash and humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, has improved the lives of millions of Afghans. If these aids are cut, alongside the budget deficit, unemployment will rise, and Afghanistan’s economic and political outlook will head toward isolation.”
Burna Salehi, a political expert, however, argues that the recent surge in domestic criticism in the U.S. regarding aid to Afghanistan is politically motivated and will not lead to any practical changes.
It is worth noting that the U.S. has provided over $2 billion in aid to humanitarian organizations in Afghanistan over the past three years. The U.S. Department of State has stated that these funds are intended solely for relief and charitable programs to assist ordinary Afghan citizens who are struggling with famine, hunger, and food shortages.
