Hidayatullah Badri, the acting head of the Afghan Central Bank, in a meeting with Feridun Sinirlioğlu, special coordinator of the UN’s assessment of the Afghanistan situation, called for the release of Afghan assets.
During the meeting, Badri called for the removal of the restrictions imposed on the banking sector in Afghanistan.
The acting head of the Afghan Central Bank said in the meeting that the bank wants to have better relations with all the financial and banking institutions of the world based on international agreements.
“The special coordinator of the UN should present a real report of the developments in Afghanistan to the international community so that the international community can get real information about the developments in Afghanistan,” Badri said.
“It is obvious that banking restrictions will remain as long as the changes and flexibility that the world expects are not introduced in Afghanistan’s governance style and the nature of policy implementation,” said Shaker Yaqoobi, an economist.
The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI), said that in order to increase the level of Afghanistan’s trade with the countries of the region, it is necessary to remove the restrictions on the country’s banks.
“The private sector of Afghanistan wants the sanctions on Afghanistan to be lifted. The restrictions on the private sector are the restrictions on the people. We want to have good communication,” said Mohammad Yunus Momand, the first deputy of the ACCI.
According to the Chamber of Industry and Mines, the banking restrictions, especially in the transfer of money in the last two years, have prevented large investments in the country.
“The challenges that Afghanistan’s private sector is facing currently are banking sanctions, and with the removal of these sanctions, the process of business, trade development and investment will definitely improve,” said Sakhi Ahmad Paiman, deputy of the chamber.
This comes as, after the Islamic Emirate swept into power, $9.5 billion of Afghanistan’s Central Bank reserves were frozen.
