Michael Hughes: A newly-released World Bank assessment suggests economic conditions in Afghanistan are improving just as UN agencies are warning that the country is on the verge of “systemic collapse.” Making the dilemma even more mysterious is the Taliban’s lack of transparency – for if business is booming, why isn’t the cash flowing to those in need?
The World Bank’s latest Afghanistan Economic Monitor report, dated January 25, claims that inflation is down, exports are up, the Afghani is stabilizing, while most food and non-food items remain “widely available.”
Some have suggested that the Taliban are less corrupt than the previous Ghani administration – which, in fact, is not saying much. However, even if the Taliban have streamlined operations a bit and business is expanding, it is practically impossible to trace the revenue stream. A large portion of revenue derives from taxes collected at the border and the coal mining royalties, but what happens to the inflow seems a mystery to most Afghans living below the poverty line. And lord knows what the true figures are in terms of private investment.
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