As the Taliban take over Afghanistan, the World Bank has decided after a board meeting to suspend all disbursements in Afghanistan. The spokesperson of the World Bank stated, “We are deeply concerned about the situation in Afghanistan and the impact on the country’s development projects, especially for women.” At the same time, the Washington-based lender stated that it was exploring ways to remain engaged in Afghanistan and preserve development gains and would continue to support the people of the country.
The spokesperson also stated, “We are closely monitoring and assessing the situation in line with our internal policies and procedures. As we do so, we will continue to consult closely with international community and development partners.” Last week, the US Treasury Department stated that it would block the Taliban’s access to $460 million in reserve assets that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was planning to send to Afghanistan. Washington also suspended bulk shipments of US dollars that were to be transferred to the country in order to keep funds out of the hands of the Taliban.
