Afghan traders still unable to make foreign payments despite new license

Members of the Afghan private sector said on Monday that investors and traders are still not able to transfer money to other countries, despite the US having issued a new license for commercial transactions last week.

The US Treasury issued a new general license last week allowing international aid organizations and private firms to conduct commercial and financial transactions with Afghan government institutions.

The new license represents a shift in US policy that had impeded ordinary commerce with Afghan government agencies headed by US sanctioned Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) and Haqqani Network leaders since they came into power in August, Reuters reported.

The Afghan traders said that they are not able to synchronize Afghanistan’s commercial ties with the markets in the world.

“We still have problems. I bought material worth US$60,000 in the US, but I can’t transfer the money. The US should stop being cruel to Afghans,” said Sherbaz Kaminzada, head of Afghanistan Chamber of Industries and Mines (ACIM).

Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce & Investment (ACCI) officials meanwhile said that Afghan traders are facing enormous problems and that the central bank, Da Afghanistan Bank, needs to find a way to resolve these issues.

“Our expectation from the central banks is to solve the private sector’s problems, in order to prevent a crisis in the market,” said Khan Jan Alokozay, a member of the ACCI.

Da Afghanistan Bank officials said that they have accelerated efforts to solve the problems.

“Efforts underway to solve the problem and provide banking services for the private sector,” said Mohammad Sabir Mohmand, spokesman for Da Afghanistan Bank.

Economic analysts also called on Da Afghanistan Bank to solve the private sectors’ problems.