‘No comprehensive sanctions on Afghanistan,’ says Treasury’s Adeyemo

While the provision of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan remains ‘critical’, the country will ‘continue to face severe economic and humanitarian challenges regardless of the amount of aid provided due to longstanding structural challenges and the Taliban’s economic mismanagement.’

So said the deputy secretary of the US Treasury, Wally Adeyemo, at an 18 January meeting with ‘CEOs and other executives of several nongovernmental organizations operating in Afghanistan,’ according to a ‘readout’ of the meeting provided by the Treasury, which also included:

‘The CEOs shared that the General Licenses issued by Treasury have helped facilitate the flow of humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan and highlighted the need to encourage additional financial and commercial activity in the country. Deputy Secretary Adeyemo reiterated that there are no comprehensive sanctions on Afghanistan and that no OFAC-administered sanctions prohibit the export or reexport of goods or services to Afghanistan, moving or sending money into and out of Afghanistan, or other activities in Afghanistan, provided that such transactions or activities do not involve sanctioned individuals, entities, or property in which sanctioned individuals and entities have an interest.’

It said that Adeyemo noted, ‘Treasury is aware of the challenges posed by bank de-risking and will continue to provide clarity on the scope of U.S. sanctions to banks and other financial institutions,’ and would ‘increase communication with financial institutions engaging in or interested in doing business in Afghanistan to help get resources into the country as quickly as possible.’

But, he said, ‘So long as the Taliban continues to repress human rights and drive essential technical experts and government officials – including those who work for Afghanistan’s central bank and financial institutions – out of the country, Afghanistan’s economy will continue to struggle without proper governance and management.’