Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
The Israeli Walla! website: We are running out of stockpiles, our forces are exhausted, and the lives of the captives are in danger. It is time for a ceasefire deal in Gaza.
Several wounded in an Israeli bombardment of a tent in al-Mawasi, south of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli media: Three wounded, three killed in an ongoing operation in the Gaza Strip.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in southern Lebanon: Israeli artillery shelling targets the outskirts of the town of Shebaa
Al-Qassam Brigades: The targeting took place at the intersection of 'Street 5' with the western line north of Khan Younis
Al-Qassam Brigades: A NIMR armored personnel carrier carrying an Israeli soldier was targeted with an Al-Yassin missile north of Khan Younis
Israeli media: At least two soldiers killed by anti-tank missile fired at Israeli army forces in the Gaza Strip
Local Syrian sources: Mortar shells fell on more than nine villages in the Sweida countryside
Local Syrian sources: Dozens of dead and wounded have arrived at Sweida hospitals as a result of ongoing clashes at several locations in the western Sweida countryside
Local sources: Civilians, including children and women, were injured in the al-Maqous neighborhood of Sweida, in Syria, as a result of ongoing clashes

Taliban formulates new economy plan without foreign aid

  • By Al Mayadeen net
  • Source: Agencies
  • 17 Dec 2021 11:42
3 Min Read

Afghanistan's financial ministry under the new Taliban administration has drafted a proposed national budget.

  • x
  • Taliban formulates new economy plan without foreign aid
    Afghans line up outside a bank (DW)

For the first time in 20 years, Afghanistan's economic plan will not include foreign aid. 

The finance ministry under the new Taliban rule has prepared a national draft for the budget. 

The draft comes as Afghanistan is embroiled in an ongoing crisis. Nearly 50% of Afghans live in poverty and the official unemployment rate is 11.7% 

Ahmad Wali Haqmal, the finance ministry spokesperson, told AFP the budget will need approval from the cabinet before its release. The scale of the proposed budget, was undisclosed, however.

In a televised interview, Haqmal said:

"We are trying to finance it from our domestic revenues -- and we believe we can."

Despite receiving 219 billion Afghanis in aid and grants and 217 billion from domestic sources, the former administration's budget for 2021 predicted a deficit.

The exchange rate was approximately 80 Afghanis to the dollar at the time, but the local currency has worsened since the Taliban took control, falling to 130 on Monday before rebounding to around 100 on Friday.

Related News

Trump to make historic second UK State visit at King's invitation

EU rallies allies as Trump tariff threats push trade tensions higher

Haqmal acknowledged that public employees are owed months of accrued salaries, saying "we are doing our best" to make up for unpaid salaries before the end of the fiscal year.

He also divulged a new compensation scale was in the works.

Suspended aid 

Foreign donors and the World Bank suspended aid to Afghanistan after the Taliban took over in August. 

Two weeks ago, the World Bank's board of directors approved the transfer of $280 million from a frozen trust fund to two assistance organizations to aid Afghanistan in dealing with a looming humanitarian disaster.

The 31 contributors to the World Bank-managed Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) must authorize the transfer before money can move to the World Food Program and UNICEF, two persons familiar with the matter said.

$200 million to avert disaster 

Earlier, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) launched an emergency funding appeal, of which $2 billion are dedicated to responding to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, in what is considered the largest single-country appeal.

According to the United Nations, nearly 23 million Afghans now face acute food insecurity and hunger, with at least a million children suffering from malnutrition. The UN also estimates that $200 million in humanitarian aid per month is needed to avert disaster.

The fund explained that the humanitarian situation continues to worsen in Afghanistan, and the country is already seeing disruptions in health and nutrition services, food crisis, droughts, outbreaks of measles, and acute watery diarrhea, coupled with the onset of winter.

“UNICEF estimates that 1 in 2 children under five will be acutely malnourished in 2022 due to the food crisis and poor access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services,” the fund said.

Henrietta Fore, the UNICEF executive director, warned in September that at least one million children in Afghanistan are going to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2021 and could die unless proper care is provided.

  • United States
  • Afghanistan
  • Taliban
  • United Nations
  • US withdrawal From Afghanistan

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS