China to WB, IMF: Resume support to Afghanistan

KABUL (Pajhwok): Beijing has called for the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) to restart financing support to Afghanistan for reconstruction.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, addressing Wednesday’s foreign ministerial meeting in Tehran, said: “Afghanistan is in need of revival on all fronts, and development is the top priority,”

In the wake of the Taliban takeover in mid-August, Afghan central bank’s assets worth more than nine billion dollars frozen by the United States.

Amid rising food rates in the country, the cash-strapped Taliban government has been unable to clear civil servants’ salaries..

Reuters quoted the Chinese minister as urging the United States and other Western nations to lift unilateral sanctions on Afghanistan. He also asked the World Health Organization to help Afghanistan battle the coronavirus.

For its part, China has announced it will dispatch $30 million emergency humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.

“My overall impression is that the Taliban is eager to have dialogue and cooperation with the outside, and that they are serious about this,” Wang added.

“China is ready to host the third foreign ministers' meeting at an appropriate time. We will keep in touch with all sides through diplomatic channels,” he said..

PAN Monitor/mud