The Afghan government has raised revenue, clamped down on corruption, and collected a startling $1 billion in exports in five months under its control, according to the UN ambassador for the country.
At the same time, Deborah Lyons, the chief of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, emphasised the need for the Afghan government to be inclusive and ensure minorities’ and women’s rights. She advised, “An economy flourishes only when women and all segments of society are equal participants.”
Lyons spoke at the Afghan government’s inaugural one-day economic conference, which took place at a time when Afghanistan is on the verge of a humanitarian disaster and economic collapse.
After the Taliban overran the country in mid-August, Kabul’s assets abroad, primarily in the United States, were blocked.
The international community has been reluctant to accept an Afghan administration, fearful that they may apply the same harsh policies as they did during their previous 20-year rule.
According to a report released on Wednesday by the International Labor Organization, the downward spiral has thrown more than half a million people out of work.
The growth in unemployment has disproportionately affected women. According to the report, companies are battling to stay viable as tens of thousands of Afghans exit the nation every day, as predicted by the report, which predicts even worsening conditions in 2022 as labour becomes even scarcer.
