Afghanistan’s central bank needs its assets back, argues Graeme Smith
Technical negotiations may succeed where political ones have failed, says the policy expert
AFGHANISTAN’S CENTRAL bank remains hostage to political drama, with perilous results for 20m Afghans on the brink of starvation. Arguments over its frozen assets abroad have raged since the Taliban seized back control of the country in August 2021. In a standoff between the Taliban and America, there is a desperate need to find low-key solutions for reviving the financial sector, and thus the Afghan economy, despite the mutual hostility that persists.
This article appeared in the By Invitation section of the print edition under the headline “Afghanistan’s central bank needs its assets back, argues Graeme Smith”
From the October 15th 2022 edition
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