Since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, the total amount of cash shipments to Afghanistan has almost reached $2 billion. The latest shipment of $40 million arrived in Kabul today, bringing the total amount to $1.993 billion.
As with previous cash shipments, the newly arrived package of $40 million was deposited in a commercial bank in Kabul. In a statement today, Da Afghanistan Bank, which is controlled by the Taliban, confirmed that it received the deposit.
The bank expressed gratitude for the humanitarian assistance and expressed hope that it can be provided through the banking sector.
The DAB and UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) confirmed that the cash aid is being deposited in a commercial bank in Kabul. However, these cash shipments have faced criticism from anti-Taliban figures and human rights activists, who argue that they are strengthening the Taliban despite their increasing restrictions on human rights, particularly women’s rights.
In response to these accusations, UNAMA published a detailed explanation in January of how the cash shipments were spent in Afghanistan. The organization stated that the cash was spent in accordance with UN financial rules and that transfers of cash were essential for them and their partners to continue their work in the country.
