The United States has made two exceptions to its sanctions against the Taliban to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, according to AFP.
The first allows the US federal government, non-governmental organizations and some international organizations to “provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan or (carry out) other activities (in support of basic needs) in that country.” The second exception allows certain operations related to the export of agricultural products, medicines and medical equipment, according to a communiqué from the US Department of Commerce.
The ministry stressed its determination to ensure that US sanctions do not restrict the access of Afghan civilians to humanitarian aid.
The situation in Afghanistan, a very poor country, could worsen due to the imposition of economic sanctions and the cessation of a large number of humanitarian programs after the Taliban came to power, France-Presse notes. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have suspended aid to Afghanistan, and the United States has frozen the reserves of the Afghan central bank in Washington.