"We are deeply concerned about the cumulative effect of the current economic and humanitarian disasters in Afghanistan, and in particular the role US policies are playing in their unfolding," write the 71 authors of the letter, including American Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel Prize in Economics in 2001, or the former Greek Minister of Finance Yanis Varoufakis.

"We are writing today to urge you to take immediate action to address this crisis, first and foremost by allowing the Central Bank of Afghanistan (...) to recover its international reserves," they continue, saying that this freezing is not justified.

After the Taliban took power in August 2021, Washington seized $7 billion in Afghan Central Bank reserves deposited in the United States in February.

Also with the suspension of international aid, which carried the country at arm's length, Afghanistan has since plunged into a serious financial and humanitarian crisis, and has seen its unemployment soar.

"70% of Afghan households are unable to meet their basic needs," write the signatories of the open letter, while "some 22.8 million people -- more than half the population -- face insecurity acute food crisis and three million children are at risk of malnutrition".

“The Taliban government has done atrocious things,” the economists say, citing in particular the treatment of women, girls and ethnic minorities.

“However, it is both morally reprehensible, and politically and economically irresponsible, to impose collective punishment on an entire people for the actions of a government they did not choose,” they say.

Negotiations took place at the end of June between Washington and the Taliban on the release of funds after an earthquake that killed more than 1,000 people in the east of the country.

Joe Biden wanted half of the 7 billion to be reserved for the compensation of the families of victims of the attacks of September 11, 2001 in the United States and the other half for humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, but paid in such a way as to that the money does not fall into the hands of the Taliban.

But according to economists, Washington's offer is not satisfactory because "the 7 billion belongs entirely to the Afghan people".

"Giving back less than the full amount undermines the recovery of a devastated economy," they point out.

© 2022 AFP