US to provide $308 million in aid for Afghans

The Biden administration announced that it would provide $308 million in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan.

The United States Agency for International Development announced the contribution on Tuesday, which arrives as the Taliban-controlled country has struggled to maintain itself economically, leaving hospitals, schools, and factories in need.

"President Biden has been clear that humanitarian assistance will continue to flow directly to the Afghan people," USAID said in a press statement. "And the United States remains the single largest provider of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan. This contribution reflects a continued scale-up of the United States' humanitarian assistance in alignment with an unwavering commitment to aid vulnerable Afghans."

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The new funding brings U.S. humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and to refugees in the region to nearly $782 million since October 2021.

To serve the Afghan population effectively, USAID says that "all aid workers, especially women, must be permitted to operate independently and securely and be able to reach women and girls without impediments."

"The United States continues to urge the Taliban to allow unhindered humanitarian access, safe conditions for humanitarians, independent provision of assistance to all vulnerable people, and freedom of movement for aid workers of all genders," the agency said.

The White House has also pledged to provide 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses through the World Health Organization in November, bringing the total number of vaccines provided to Afghanistan to 4.3 million.

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Afghanistan's needs have continued to grow in recent months. Food insecurity has risen among Afghan residents, as well as violent actions from the Taliban against women. United Nations officials warned in November that Afghanistan is at risk of an economic collapse and that it needs to find a way to provide funding and banking in the region without funding Taliban operations.

Taliban leadership claims that it has "made progress" on gender rights. However, additional restrictions have continued to appear five months after the fall of Kabul.

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