Speaking to Amu, the Taliban’s deputy minister of economy, Abdul Latif Nazari, has downplayed concerns over potential U.S. aid cuts, saying that they will manage the situation through domestic economic policies and resource development.
“If some countries decide to cut their assistance, we will manage Afghanistan’s economic growth and development through our economic policies and by strengthening domestic resources,” Nazari told Amu.
Last week, President Trump suggested that the U.S. assistance to Afghanistan could be terminated.
The Taliban had initially refrained from commenting on the issue, but Nazari’s remarks mark their first official reaction to Trump’s statement, which has fueled debate among Taliban officials and Afghan citizens alike.
Afghanistan remains heavily dependent on foreign aid, with nearly 23 million people requiring humanitarian assistance. Critics, however, have expressed skepticism about the Taliban’s ability to address the country’s severe poverty without international support.
“The internal economic capacity of Afghanistan is insufficient to manage and control the dire poverty in the country,” said Shakir Yaqoubi, an economic analyst. “Humanitarian aid, particularly from the U.S., has a significant impact on Afghanistan, and its absence will have serious consequences.”
The potential loss of U.S. aid comes at a time when millions of Afghans are grappling with economic instability and harsh winter conditions. Madina, a Kabul resident who relies on income from selling vegetables on the streets, described the daily struggle to make ends meet.
“We can’t even afford two full meals a day,” she said. “If we eat in the morning, we go hungry at lunch. If we eat at lunch, we starve at night. My husband and I work all day, but when he comes home in the evening, there’s no money, no firewood, and the house is freezing.”
The Taliban’s claims of self-reliance face further scrutiny as U.S. lawmakers accuse them of exploiting international aid. Critics allege that the Taliban have created fake organizations and placed loyalists within U.N. agencies to redirect funds. A report by U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul in October 2023 highlighted these concerns.
Such allegations have fueled calls in Washington to suspend financial assistance to Afghanistan under Taliban rule. The uncertainty surrounding aid has also impacted Afghanistan’s currency markets, with the value of the afghani falling against the U.S. dollar in recent weeks.
