Afghanistan Peace CampaignMuttaqi stressed that the US decision has severely disrupted the natural course of Afghanistan’s economic development.
The acting foreign minister of Afghanistan, Amir Khan Muttaqi, criticized the United States for freezing Afghanistan’s foreign reserves, calling the move illegal and demanding the immediate and unconditional release of the country’s assets.
Muttaqi stressed that the US decision has severely disrupted the natural course of Afghanistan’s economic development.
He also urged member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to fulfill their humanitarian and Islamic responsibilities by utilizing all available means to help lift the sanctions.
In his statement, Muttaqi said: “After two decades of war in Afghanistan, the US has frozen the national wealth of the Afghan people, creating major challenges for the country’s natural economic growth. I once again call on the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and its member states to ensure the release of Afghanistan’s frozen central bank assets without further delay or obstacles.”
Referring to Afghanistan’s strategic location in the heart of Asia, Muttaqi noted that the country has the potential to become a vital hub for trade and transit among Islamic nations.
He added: “Afghanistan, recognized as the heart of Asia, is ready to serve as a key gateway for transit, trade, and economic connectivity among Islamic countries. We are prepared to play a constructive role within the framework of the OIC Strategic Economic Agenda in areas such as regional connectivity, energy, logistics, and investment.”
Economic experts believe that if Afghanistan focuses on domestic production and exports during this crisis, it could ease some of the pressure resulting from international sanctions.
Economic analyst Mir Shakir Yaqubi told TOLOnews: “In order to mitigate the negative effects of sanctions and global restrictions imposed on Afghanistan, the government must fulfill certain essential responsibilities. One of these is enhancing domestic production capacities. Achieving this requires cooperation from neighboring countries so that Afghanistan can at least play an effective role in transport, transit, and global trade systems. Additionally, alongside boosting production capacities, export volumes must also be increased.”
This comes more than four years after Afghanistan’s foreign assets were frozen, with no significant steps taken by the international community thus far.
Previously, a deputy minister of the Ministry of Economy announced that Afghanistan is working to establish joint banks with China, Russia, and Iran to reduce the impact of banking sanctions.