U.S. Spent $11.8 Billion for Afghanistan Aid Since Leaving the Country

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has raised significant concerns over the management and oversight of funds destined for Afghanistan, indicating the absence of specific controls to prevent these funds from being diverted by the Taliban. In a detailed report to Congress, SIGAR highlighted the challenges surrounding the Switzerland-based Afghan Fund, which holds $3.5 billion intended for the war-torn country’s reconstruction.

Since U.S. forces left Afghanistan in 2021, the U.S. has spent more than $11.8 billion in that country.

Established post the tumultuous exit of international troops in August 2021—a period that saw the Taliban reclaim control of Afghanistan—the Afghan Fund’s goal is to “receive, protect, preserve, and disburse” its assets through the country’s central bank for the Afghan people’s benefit. Despite this aim, SIGAR’s letter to Congress reveals a disturbing lack of disbursements to activities that would aid the Afghan populace, even more than a year after the fund’s inception.

The fund operates under a strict protocol that requires a unanimous vote from its board of trustees for the disbursement of funds, a measure intended to mitigate the risk of engaging in precarious activities. However, SIGAR’s report underscores a glaring gap: “Although the fund’s unanimous vote requirement could help prevent the fund from engaging in risky activity, there are currently no controls in place that specifically address the issue of Taliban diversion.”

This revelation comes amidst widespread international condemnation of the Taliban’s governance, particularly concerning human rights abuses. The de facto Taliban government, which remains largely unrecognized globally, has been particularly criticized for its treatment of women and girls—excluding them from employment in assistance organizations and severely limiting their participation in the education sector.

SIGAR’s findings underscore the complexity of providing aid to Afghanistan under its current administration, pointing to the urgent need for robust oversight mechanisms to ensure that the aid reaches its intended recipients—the Afghan people—without being misappropriated by the Taliban.

According to the SIGAR report, the focus is on various humanitarian and reconstruction efforts. Notably, the report details the assistance provided in Fiscal Years (FY) 2022 and 2023 to support Afghan refugees and internally displaced people. This includes more than $80 million from the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees under the 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan, along with additional funds for 2023, and considerable support for health and protection programs in Afghanistan and Pakistan through USAID and other U.S. departments.

Furthermore, the U.S. has been active in removing explosive remnants of war in Afghanistan, a crucial step towards ensuring the safety of its citizens and aiding in the reconstruction process. The efforts have led to the clearance of significant areas contaminated by unexploded ordnance, contributing to the broader objective of post-conflict recovery.

The report underscores the extensive financial commitments made by the U.S. following its withdrawal, with total appropriations for FY 2022 and FY 2023 exceeding $2.52 billion, a portion of which is dedicated to humanitarian assistance.