With business below zero, Afghan economic woes intensify as Kabul residents worry about their livelihood amid the Taliban takeover. Many Afghan businessmen highlighted that they wish to see the existing business policies to continue during Taliban 2.0 regime as the business set-up and related activities were conducive for the overall economic health of the country.
Earlier, the residents voiced worry over the country’s long-running economic difficulties, and the Taliban takeover has added to their concerns as the businessmen are indecisive how the future political framework would turn out and conducive it will be their ongoing businesses. A lot depends on how political-economic nexus in Afghanistan works as Taliban are in the final round of announcing their government officials and roadmap for governance.
Read more: Afghan businessmen urge business policies to continue in Taliban 2.0 regime
Business below zero, looming Afghan humanitarian crisis
“With the arrival of the Taliban, it’s right to say that there is security, but business has gone down below zero,” Karim Jan, an electronic goods shop owner, told AFP.
In one spot of bright news, Western Union announced it was restarting money transfer services to the country.
Many Afghans rely on remittances from relatives abroad to survive.
The United Nations warned earlier this week of a looming “humanitarian catastrophe” in Afghanistan, as it called to ensure that those wanting to flee the new regime still have a way out. Already, one third of Afghanistan’s 39 million people according to World Food Program, are facing mass hunger. And with business below zero, Afghan food security concerns would only intensify.
Read more: UNHCR warns of impending Afghanistan humanitarian catastrophe
Reopening Kabul airport
Qatar’s foreign minister said on Thursday the Gulf state is working with the Taliban to reopen Kabul’s airport as soon as possible.
“We are working very hard (and) we remain hopeful that we will be able to operate it as soon as possible,” said Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani.
“Hopefully in the next few days we will hear some good news,” he told a news conference in Doha.
A Qatari technical team flew into Kabul on Wednesday to discuss reopening the airport, the first plane to land there since the evacuations. Turkey said Thursday it was also evaluating proposals from the Taliban and others for a role in running the airport.
Read more: Erdogan: Turkey to retain presence at Kabul airport with Qatar