Latest news with #SpecialInspectorGeneralforAfghanistanReconstruction
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
02-08-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Taliban has suppressed Afghan women's rights, says US SIGAR report
The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) released its 68th and final report, as per Tolo News. The report addresses issues such as US aid to Afghanistan, the situation of women and girls, security, the economy, counter-narcotics efforts, recent developments, SIGAR's monitoring process, the conclusion of its mission, and the role of other US government agencies in overseeing Afghanistan's affairs. SIGAR claims in the report that the Taliban in Afghanistan has broadly stripped Afghan women and girls of their rights over the past nearly four years. Abdul Sadeq Hamidzoy, a political affairs analyst, said: "International institutions have so far highlighted public concerns in their reports, but have taken no concrete action to resolve them." According to the report, the US allocated only around $342 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in fiscal year 2025, a sharp drop from over $968 million in 2023, Tolo News reported. This steep reduction in aid, at a time when Afghanistan's internal needs are growing, has had significant effects on people's livelihoods. The Ministry of Economy said that US aid to Afghanistan should not be politicised and rejects the claim that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan interferes in US assistance. Abdul Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister of Economy, stated, "The recent SIGAR report has both positive and negative aspects, but I want to emphasise two points: First, the US has politicised humanitarian aid, which contradicts humanitarian principles and international law. Second, it is alleged that the Islamic Emirate interferes in international aid, and we strongly and categorically reject this claim." SIGAR presented its first quarterly report to the US Congress in October 2008. Now that the body has concluded its operations, the question remains: how effective and beneficial was its oversight? Idris Mohammadi Zazai, a political affairs analyst, told Tolo News, "Since 2008, despite SIGAR's reports on administrative corruption, it was neither prevented nor eradicated." It's worth noting that SIGAR previously stated the US has provided over $3.83 billion in aid to Afghanistan since 2021.
Hindustan Times
02-08-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Taliban stripped Afghan women of rights: US Report
The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) released its 68th and final report, as per Tolo News. According to the report, the US allocated only around USD 342 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in fiscal year 2025, a sharp drop from 2023.(AFP File Photo) The report addresses issues such as US aid to Afghanistan, the situation of women and girls, security, the economy, counter-narcotics efforts, recent developments, SIGAR's monitoring process, the conclusion of its mission, and the role of other US government agencies in overseeing Afghanistan's affairs. SIGAR claims in the report that the Taliban in Afghanistan has broadly stripped Afghan women and girls of their rights over the past four years. Abdul Sadeq Hamidzoy, a political affairs analyst, said: "International institutions have so far highlighted public concerns in their reports, but have taken no concrete action to resolve them." According to the report, the US allocated only around USD 342 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in fiscal year 2025, a sharp drop from over USD 968 million in 2023, Tolo News reported. This steep reduction in aid, at a time when Afghanistan's internal needs are growing, has had significant effects on people's livelihoods. The Ministry of Economy said that US aid to Afghanistan should not be politicised and rejects the claim that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan interferes in US assistance. Abdul Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister of Economy, stated, "The recent SIGAR report has both positive and negative aspects, but I want to emphasise two points: First, the US has politicised humanitarian aid, which contradicts humanitarian principles and international law. Second, it is alleged that the Islamic Emirate interferes in international aid, and we strongly and categorically reject this claim." SIGAR presented its first quarterly report to the US Congress in October 2008. Now that the body has concluded its operations, the question remains: how effective and beneficial was its oversight? Idris Mohammadi Zazai, a political affairs analyst, told Tolo News, "Since 2008, despite SIGAR's reports on administrative corruption, it was neither prevented nor eradicated." It's worth noting that SIGAR previously stated the US has provided over USD 3.83 billion in aid to Afghanistan since 2021.
Express Tribune
10-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Strategic aid failure
While on the surface, aid is presented as a tool for humanitarian relief and development in conflict-ridden zones, it implicitly serves a strategic function often placed on the negotiating table to influence regimes. The same approach has been applied to the Taliban, with billions in international aid funnelled into Afghanistan since the US withdrawal in 2021. Yet, despite sustained financial assistance, the Taliban have not budged. Their repressive governance remains unchanged, raising critical questions about whether continued aid serves any meaningful purpose beyond sustaining the status quo. According to a recent report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), over 64% of US aid to Afghanistan has been routed through UN agencies and the World Bank's Afghanistan Resilience Trust Fund. While some humanitarian aid has helped prevent famine, SIGAR found no evidence that this funding has influenced Taliban policies or moderated their rule. The broader strategic objectives of counterterrorism, human rights protections and governance reforms remain unfulfilled. The failure of aid as a bargaining tool is particularly evident in the Taliban's continued crackdown on women's rights and the suppression of dissent. Unlike other regimes that have historically adjusted their policies in exchange for financial incentives, the Taliban have shown no interest in reform, nor do they appear concerned about international legitimacy. This defiance renders conditional aid ineffective, as the group has demonstrated a willingness to govern in isolation rather than compromise. Yet, withdrawing aid entirely is not a straightforward solution. Millions of Afghans depend on humanitarian assistance for survival, and an abrupt halt could push the country deeper into crisis. The challenge lies in restructuring aid distribution ensuring that it reaches the vulnerable population without empowering any form of oppression. This may require bypassing state-controlled mechanisms and strengthening community-based and non-governmental aid delivery.
