RASC News Agency: The World Bank has announced an $84 million aid package for Afghanistan under Taliban rule, aiming to address the country’s economic crisis and support livelihood projects. According to a statement released by the bank on Tuesday night, April 30, $70 million of this aid will be funneled through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) and the International Development Association (IDA) to support livelihood projects in Afghanistan.
Melinda Good, head of the World Bank’s Afghanistan program, stated that over the past 18 months, the International Development Association has established a specific and effective framework for allocating these funds toward employment projects, particularly for women in Afghanistan. According to Good, this aid will enable IDA to continue providing services to Afghanistanis in six regions and 26 provinces across a range of sectors.
She noted, “The new funding will allow the project to expand its activities in both rural and urban areas, provide more livelihood opportunities for women, and offer employment and services to returning Afghanistanis.” The project began its activities in rural and urban areas of Afghanistan in 2022 with $265 million in World Bank funding.
Through this project, over 776,000 Afghanistani families have been provided with short-term employment, benefiting approximately 5.4 million people. Additionally, cash and in-kind assistance has been distributed to 92,200 vulnerable families in Afghanistan, including female-headed households.
World Bank data indicates that, during this period, 7.4 million Afghanistanis have gained access to social services such as roads, health centers, and drinking water. The organization also noted that over the past two years, more than 2.1 million Afghanistanis have received training in health and nutrition, the impact of climate change, and disaster preparedness.
Since the Taliban regained control of the country, the standard of living in Afghanistan has declined, and international organizations report that nearly 23 million Afghanistanis will require humanitarian aid this year. A few days ago, the World Bank announced it would provide $16 million to support small businesses in Afghanistan, with a focus on women-led businesses and female entrepreneurs.
