Afghan Trust Fund in Switzerland Has Generated $300M in Interest

Shah Mohammad Mehrabi said that the primary purpose of establishing this fund is to ensure financial stability in Afghanistan.

The Afghan Trust Fund was created in September 2022 to safeguard $3.5 billion of the country’s assets in Switzerland.

Shah Mohammad Mehrabi said: “As a trustee and co-chair of the Afghan fund, my role is to safeguard these funds including any interest they generate and assure it’s used in accordance with the primary objective of maintaining financial stability.”

A number of economic experts believe that the gains from Afghanistan’s assets should be spent on developmental projects to positively impact the country’s economic growth.

Abdul Naseer Reshtia, an economic expert, said: “If this money is spent on non-economic purposes, it could devalue the Afghan currency. Additionally, this money can help Afghanistan in establishing credibility in international trade.”

Another economic expert, Abdul Zohoor Mudaber, said: “It is good that the Afghanistan Trust Fund has generated income. This should be returned to the people of Afghanistan so they can invest in appropriate areas such as infrastructure, the agriculture sector, the energy sector, and water resources according to their preferences.”

The Ministry of Economy once again called on the United States to release Afghanistan’s assets without any conditions.

Abdul Latif Nazari, the Deputy Minister of Economy, said: “The freezing of Afghan people’s assets is in violation of international laws. I hope these assets are released as soon as possible and that the release can positively contribute to the country’s economic growth and development.”

Following the political changes in August 2021, more than nine billion dollars of Afghanistan’s assets were frozen in US and European banks.