Minerals, drugs and China: How the Taliban might finance their new Afghan government

From "The Conversation": Hanif Sufizada, Education and Outreach Program Coordinator at UNO's Center for Afghanistan Studies, explains what financial sources the Taliban might turn to for funding their new Afghan government.

Busy market street in an Afghan town. Men women and children shop at market stalls for fruits and vegetables.

Hanif Sufizada, who recently had a narrow escape from Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover, has a new article featured on "The Conversation" that highlights where the Afghan economy may be headed in the months ahead.

Excerpt:

"Now that the Taliban have reportedly taken full control of Afghanistan and begun forming a government, a looming challenge awaits: How will they keep their country and economy afloat financially?

For the past 20 years, the U.S. government and other countries have financed the vast majority of the Afghan government’s non-military budget – and every cent of the fighting force that melted to the Taliban so quickly in August 2021. Now, with American aid likely out of the question and billions in central bank foreign reserves frozen, the Taliban will have to find other means to pay for salaries and support citizens and infrastructure."

To read the full article with photos, head to 'The Conversation' website:

Minerals, drugs and China: How the Taliban might finance their new Afghan government

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