KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Since the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, the World Bank has allocated over $1.7 billion in aid to the people of Afghanistan, with a primary focus on supporting women and girls.
In a recently published report, the World Bank highlighted its substantial contributions, including a $280 million transfer from the Afghanistan Resilience Trust Fund (ARTF) to UNICEF and the World Food Program (WFP) in December 2021.
This funding was crucial for addressing urgent health and nutrition needs during the harsh winter months. According to the report, all funds have been managed outside the control of the Taliban’s de facto regime, ensuring that assistance reaches those in need directly.
Since early 2022, the World Bank and ARTF donors have continued to support the Afghan population by delivering essential services in health, education, food security, and water access nationwide. In February 2024, the World Bank’s Board endorsed additional International Development Association (IDA) funding to complement ARTF financing. These funds will be directed to UN agencies and international organizations, further ensuring that they remain beyond Taliban control.
Additionally, the Board approved the resumption of the Central Asia-South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA-1000), with all financial transactions managed separately from Taliban administrative systems. The World Bank said it is committed to supporting various initiatives, such as the Afghanistan Community Resilience and Livelihoods Project, which aims to assist one million households, and the Afghanistan Health Emergency Response Project, focusing on maternal and child health in over 2,300 facilities.
The Afghanistan Emergency Food Security Project is designed to increase food production for smallholder farmers, while the Education Emergency Response Project seeks to enhance educational access, particularly for girls. Furthermore, the Afghanistan Water Emergency Relief Project aims to provide safe drinking water to 1.2 million people in drought-affected areas.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, is actively promoting private sector growth through investments and advisory services, including support for Afghanistan International Bank and First Microfinance Bank Limited to enhance financial inclusion and empower women entrepreneurs.
Amid this aid, Afghanistan faces a deepening humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by economic turmoil following the Taliban’s return to power. The United Nations reports that over half of the population now requires urgent humanitarian assistance, as the country grapples with significant challenges, including rampant poverty and instability.
Natural disasters, including earthquakes, heavy rains, and flooding, have further strained resources, causing considerable financial losses for an already impoverished population. Humanitarian agencies are currently experiencing one of the most severe funding shortfalls in recent years, with only 25% of the UN’s $3.07 billion humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan secured to date.
International humanitarian organizations stress that the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan cannot be addressed through humanitarian assistance alone; it requires a comprehensive, sustained, and contextualized response from the global community.
The World Bank stated that it continues to advocate for increased support and cooperation to meet the urgent needs of the people of Afghanistan, prioritizing the most vulnerable groups in the process.
