Afghanistan: Central Bank assets still frozen, no relaxation with Washington

US soldiers prepare to evacuate Afghan civilians on August 28, 2021 at Kabul International Airport (Illustration image).

AP - Cpl.

Davis Harris

Text by: RFI Follow

4 mins

Just over a year ago, Kabul fell to the Taliban.

This precipitated the departure, in confusion, of the American army, present in the country since 2001. One year after the fall of Kabul, what is today the policy of the United States in Afghanistan?

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From a security point of view, the American army is no longer present on the ground.

But the American general staff closely monitors the activity of armed groups in Afghanistan.

The Taliban face several insurgent groups in the country: the Afghan branch of the Islamic State organization, but also the National Resistance Front, an armed group which notably includes former members of the Afghan National Army, led by

, Commander Massoud's son.

►Also read: Afghanistan: one year after the fall of Kabul, the chaos of the American withdrawal has also left its mark in Washington

More generally, the Taliban have long tolerated the presence of various jihadist groups on Afghan soil.

The leader of al-Qaeda himself,

was in Kabul, where he was

by an American strike.

It appears to be a one-time intervention by the United States.

This does not mean that the Americans will resume strikes in Afghanistan against the jihadists

Non-compliance with the Doha agreements

Ayman al-Zawahiri's death is a welcome blow to US President Joe Biden after last year's military debacle.

Ayman al-Zawahiri was even in a neighborhood popular with diplomats and businessmen.

How was this perceived by Americans?

Gram Smith is a consultant for the think tank International Crisis Group.

He is also the former head of political affairs for the United Nations in Afghanistan.

He believes that “

 ,” he continues.

American officials feel betrayed, because they consider that the Taliban have not respected the Doha agreement.

, signed in 2020 between the United States of Donald Trump and the Taliban, which had therefore not yet taken power in Afghanistan at that time, specified that in exchange for the withdrawal of American troops from n Afghanistan, the Taliban pledged to deny access to their territory to jihadist groups.

The Taliban also consider that the United States has not respected the Doha agreement, by intervening militarily in the country by this drone strike in the middle of Kabul.

The text is interpreted differently on both sides.

Despite everything, both the Taliban and the Americans consider that this agreement is still valid.

Economic negotiations

Moreover, negotiations continue between them about the economic and humanitarian crisis in the country.

The UN estimated last March that nearly 95% of Afghans did not have enough to eat and the situation remains critical.

In this context, more than 70 economists from around the world, including Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz, last week called on US President Joe Biden to release Afghan central bank funds, which are frozen today, mainly by the United States. United.

This is one of the most important points of the negotiations currently taking place between Washington and the Taliban. 

Central Bank of Afghanistan asset freeze continues 

More than 7 billion dollars: this is the amount of foreign assets of the Afghan Central Bank that were frozen by the United States when the Afghan government fell exactly a year ago.

Kabul should be able to have nearly 9 billion in assets in all, the vast majority of which are blocked by Washington, but the World Bank and the European Union also control hundreds of millions.

While the country is sinking into an economic crisis with no visible way out, and famine threatens Afghanistan, calls are increasing for the lifting of sanctions and the freezing of assets, but without result for the moment.

Last February, Joe Biden took a "first step" in the words of the White House: the president announced the unfreezing of part of the funds, half of which would be used to compensate the victims of September 11, and the other to direct humanitarian aid in Afghanistan, that is to say without the money passing through the hands of the Taliban.

But the observation is almost unanimous, from special envoys from the UN to humanitarian workers, including many political leaders around the world: humanitarian aid will not be enough to lift the country which is sinking into misery.

This misery threatens millions of people with famine, pushes Afghans to emigrate and also jeopardizes regional stability.

Discussions between Washington and Kabul continue in a pragmatic way, particularly about the reconstruction of the country.

But on the issue of assets, they are going very slowly according to the International crisis group. 

has chilled relations.

The presence of the terrorist leader in the heart of Kabul was perceived as a violation of the Doha agreements, even as a betrayal by Washington.

Same thing on the Afghan side after its elimination by American forces.

Finally, the approach of the mid-term elections in the United States does not favor the announcement of measures which could be perceived as lenient vis-à-vis the Taliban.

“ 

(on the freezing of assets)

continues Gram Smith of the International Crisis Group.

It is not sure that Joe Biden is ready to release funds from the Central Bank of Afghanistan at this time.

From the point of view of American opinion, he could appear as someone who makes concessions in the face of the Taliban regime.

We are now less than three months away from the midterm elections in the United States.

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