Since the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021, the United States has allocated $20.71 billion in assistance to Afghanistan and Afghan refugees, according to a report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR).
The SIGAR report, released on July 31, details that this amount includes nearly $2.97 billion in U.S. appropriations for humanitarian and development aid in Afghanistan. Additionally, $3.50 billion has been transferred to the Afghan Fund, which aims to protect macro-financial stability for the Afghan people and could potentially recapitalize Afghanistan’s central bank in the future.
Furthermore, $8.70 billion has been allocated to support Afghan evacuees resettling in the United States through the Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) program. Of this, the Department of Defense (DOD) has obligated $5.36 billion in Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid (OHDACA) appropriations and other funds. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has obligated nearly $3.00 billion, and the Department of Homeland Security has obligated $284 million for OAW.
The report also highlights the creation of a new Department of State appropriations account, Enduring Welcome, mandated by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024. In fiscal year 2023, the DOD transferred $3.00 billion in OHDACA funds to the State Department for Enduring Welcome, which, along with other appropriations totaling $5.53 billion, supports ongoing programming under the initiative.
This financial aid has faced criticism, with activists urging the cessation of U.S. weekly cash assistance to Afghanistan, which is currently unreported by the Taliban-run central bank. Critics argue that stopping this aid could pressure the Taliban government.
