Business
U.S. has no plans to release billions in Afghan assets: Reuters
The Biden administration has no plans to release billions in Afghan gold, investments and foreign currency reserves parked in the United States that it froze after the Taliban’s takeover, despite pressure from humanitarian groups and others who say the cost may be the collapse of Afghanistan’s economy.
Much of the Afghan central bank’s $10 billion in assets are parked overseas here, where they are considered a key instrument for the West to pressure the Taliban here to respect women’s rights and the rule of law.
Any unfreezing of these assets may be months away, financial experts said.
Officials from the U.S. State Department, U.S. Treasury, White House National Security Council and other agencies have been in regular discussions about Afghanistan’s finances since the Taliban took over in mid-August, ahead of what the United Nations and others see as a looming humanitarian crisis.
Any decision to release the funds would likely involve top U.S. officials from several departments but will ultimately be up to President Joe Biden, the experts said.
Food and fuel prices are soaring across Afghanistan, amid a shortage of cash triggered by a halt in foreign aid, a halt in dollar shipments and a drought.
The U.S. Treasury this week said it had granted a license here authorizing the U.S. government and its partners to continue to facilitate humanitarian aid in Afghanistan. It also gave Western Union, the world’s largest money transfer firm, and other financial institutions a green light to resume processing here personal remittances to Afghanistan from migrants overseas.
The Treasury Department is not easing sanctions on the Taliban or loosening restrictions on their access to the global financial system, a spokesperson told Reuters.
“The United States government has been in touch with humanitarian partners in Afghanistan, both regarding security conditions on the ground and about their ability to continue their humanitarian work,” the spokesperson said.
“As we maintain our commitment to the Afghan people, we have not reduced sanctions pressure on Taliban leaders or the significant restrictions on their access to the international financial system.”
Shah Mehrabi, an economics professor in Maryland and long-time member of the Afghan central bank’s board, a senior Russian official and humanitarian groups are among those urging the U.S. Treasury to also unfreeze the Afghan assets, saying that lives are at stake.
“The gravity of the situation is so immense. Every day that passes is going to result in more suffering and more exodus of people,” Mehrabi said.
The International Monetary Fund has also blocked the Taliban from accessing some $440 million in new emergency reserves, or Special Drawing Rights, issued by the global lender last month.
Adnan Mazarei, former deputy director of the IMF and now a fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said the United States could not legally release the Afghan assets until there was an internationally recognized government, and that could take many months to occur. The IMF could not act until its board voted, once a government was recognized.
He said a central bank’s reserves are typically not touched except as a last resort. Even Iran, struggling under intense international sanctions, has not used its IMF emergency reserves, he said.
Brian O’Toole, a former Treasury Department official now with the Atlantic Council, said a release of the Afghan assets would not solve Afghanistan’s considerable problems.
“Just releasing those funds doesn’t stabilize the Afghan economy, or do anything like that. What it does is give the Taliban access” to billions of dollars, he said. “I don’t think there’s gonna be a lot of appetite in the U.S. to do that, nor should there be.”
Thirteen trade and investment memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth more than $100 million were signed between private sector representatives of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan during a conference held in Kabul on Saturday.
The conference, which brought together business leaders and officials from both countries, focused on expanding bilateral economic cooperation, increasing trade volume, and identifying new investment opportunities.
Speaking at the event, Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan, said economic relations between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have gained notable momentum in recent months. He stressed that Afghanistan is actively working to strengthen regional trade ties and create a more favorable environment for investors.
Azizi added that Afghanistan offers significant investment potential, particularly due to its available workforce and emerging opportunities across multiple sectors, and is ready to welcome joint ventures with foreign partners.
Officials from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan said the government has facilitated around $2 billion in investment across various sectors over the past year, reflecting growing investor interest in the country’s economy.
The Uzbek delegation also reiterated its commitment to expanding economic relations with Afghanistan, describing the agreements as an important step toward deeper regional cooperation.
Amanbay Orynbayev, head of Uzbekistan’s Karakalpakstan delegation, said his country places strong emphasis on long-term, transparent, and reliable economic partnerships. He encouraged Afghan traders to take advantage of joint investment opportunities to access new regional markets.
The Afghan private sector welcomed the agreements, expressing hope that increased trade engagement and business exchanges will further strengthen economic ties between the two neighboring countries.
Officials noted that the total value of agreements signed between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan has now exceeded $1.5 billion. If implemented effectively, these commitments are expected to contribute to increased trade flows and broader economic growth in Afghanistan.
A new multimodal freight corridor linking China and Afghanistan via Turkmenistan has been officially launched, aiming to improve the speed and efficiency of overland cargo transportation across Central Asia.
According to the Turkmenistan Embassy in London, the country has become part of a newly established route designed to accelerate freight deliveries between China and Afghanistan.
The corridor, developed with the involvement of Uzbekistan Railways’ subsidiary Uztemiryulcontainer, covers approximately 7,400 kilometers and is expected to reduce transit time to around 30 days, improving overall logistics efficiency.
Under the new route, containers are transported by rail from China through the Altynkol station in Kazakhstan, continuing via Uzbekistan to a logistics hub in Bukhara. From there, cargo is transferred to road transport and moved across Turkmenistan before reaching Herat in Afghanistan.
Officials say the new system integrates rail and road networks into a unified logistics chain, making transport more predictable and efficient.
Business
Uzbekistan launches new cargo corridor linking China and Afghanistan
From Uzbekistan, shipments will be transferred onto trucks and transported across Turkmenistan en route to Herat in western Afghanistan.
Uzbekistan’s national railway operator has announced the launch of a new multimodal freight route designed to strengthen logistics links between China and Afghanistan via Central Asia.
According to Trend news agency the new corridor will see container used goods transported by rail from China through Kazakhstan’s Altynkol station into Uzbekistan. Cargo will then be handled at the Bukhara logistics centre, operated by Uztemiryulkonteyner, before continuing its journey by road.
From Uzbekistan, shipments will be transferred onto trucks and transported across Turkmenistan en route to Herat in western Afghanistan.
Previously, freight along this trade corridor was largely routed via sea from China to Iran’s Bandar Abbas port, before continuing overland into Afghanistan. The new overland alternative is expected to streamline logistics and improve reliability.
Covering approximately 7,400 kilometres, the route is projected to reduce transit times to around 30 days, offering a more efficient option for regional cargo movement between East Asia and South Asia.
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