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U.S. has no plans to release billions in Afghan assets: Reuters

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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.”

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Afghanistan transports 3.2 million metric tons via railways this year: Ministry

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Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works, says since the beginning of this current solar year, about 3.2 million metric tons of commercial goods have been transported through the country’s railway lines.

Haqshenas stated that these exports have seen a significant increase compared to the same period last year, and the ministry is working to provide more facilities for the private sector in this area.

“Approximately 3.2 million metric tons of goods have been transported through four ports. The Ministry of Public Works is striving to provide greater convenience to national traders and citizens,” he said.

Meanwhile, officials from the Chamber of Commerce and Investment have stated that railway lines can play a vital role in the country’s economic development.

They added that in international trade, rail transport is cheaper than shipping, and this sector should be given serious attention in the country.

Economic experts also believe that the expansion of railways in the country can provide more convenience for traders in exports and imports.

Currently, Afghanistan has direct railway connections through four ports with Uzbekistan, Iran, and Turkmenistan, and indirect connections with China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Turkey.

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IEA signs $6.2 million marble mining contract for Kandahar

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Afghanistan’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum says it has signed a contract worth $6.2 million with a Turkish company for the extraction of marble from a mine in Kandahar’s Dara-e-Noor area.

At a ceremony on Tuesday in Kabul, acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum Hidayatullah Badri said the extraction of this mine is expected to create new job opportunities for the country’s citizens.

Badri stated that since the Islamic Emirate’s takeover, several contracts have been signed for marble extraction.

“The contracted company is investing $6.2 million in the exploration, extraction, and processing of this mine,” Badri added.

Meanwhile, a senior official from the mining company stated that this contract will benefit both countries.

He said the company hopes to supply the international market with the marble. He said this will not only create jobs but also contribute to the growth of Afghanistan’s export market.

Mr Emioglu, the deputy head of the Turkish contracting company, said: “Our company started working on extracting this mine eight months ago. We aim to introduce Afghan marble internationally after production and processing so that both countries can benefit.”

Economists welcomed the development and stated that with the signing of mining contracts, the country’s economic situation will improve, and investments in this sector will increase.

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Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan rise by 92% to $504 million

Afghanistan’s exports to Pakistan from July to December 2024 totaled $9.9 million against $4.425 million for the same period in 2023

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Pakistan recorded a substantial increase of 92% in it’s export of goods and services to Afghanistan during the first six months of Islamabad’s current fiscal year as compared to the exports of the corresponding period of last year.

According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the overall exports to Afghanistan were recorded at $504.308 million during July-December (2024-25) against exports of $262.583 million during July-December (2023-24), SBP stated. 

Overall Pakistan’s exports to other countries witnessed an increase of 7 percent in the first six months, from $15.146 billion to $16.229 billion, the SBP stated.

 On the other hand, Afghanistan’s exports to Pakistan in the same period totaled $9.9 million against $4.425 million in 2023.

On a year-on-year basis, imports from Afghanistan witnessed an increase of 18 percent from $1.238 million in December 2023, against the imports of $1.466 million in December 2024. 

On a month-on-month basis, the imports from Afghanistan into the country also witnessed an increase of 8.27 percent during December 2024, as compared to the imports of $1.354 million during November 2024.

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