Uncertain future awaits Afghanistan in 2022

Four months after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, the country is plunged into unprecedented economic crises, as the movement does not have the tools to address the basic issues of citizens directly, which portends an uncertain future in the war-weary country.

With the beginning of 2022, problems such as economic collapse, extrajudicial executions, repressive policies towards women, revenge killings and gross violations of human rights are emerging on the Afghan scene.

Despite repeated assurances by well-informed Taliban speakers, such as Zabihullah Mujahid and Doha-based Suhail Shaheen, in the weeks following the movement’s seizure of power in mid-August 2021, the international community is watching from afar, declaring that the Taliban will be measured by their actions, not their words.

Local currency collapsing

Afghanistan is mired in the quagmire of a massive economic crisis, which has caused a decline in the local currency exchange rate (1 Afghani = approximately 0.0095 US dollars), and according to the French newspaper Liberation, every 120 afghanis corresponds to 1 dollar, after it was about 80 afghanis for every dollar before The Taliban took control. The country has also lost humanitarian aid that made up 80% of the annual budget, which rose to $6.2 billion in 2020.

The United Nations Development Agency warned of the effects of this crisis and noted that 97% of the population of Afghanistan is threatened with moving below the poverty line if an urgent response is not provided to the political and economic crisis in the country.

Mass crises

Afghanistan is mired in multiple crises, as many Afghans have lost their jobs, while more than 20 million citizens are facing the threat of starvation, and the Taliban government is unable to gain the confidence of the international community due to its repressive policies.

This comes at a time when the Afghan movement announced the formation of a new military force of nearly 100,000 members to build a new regular army for the country, including former members of the Afghan army.

After taking control of Kabul on August 15, 2021, the Taliban seized American weapons and equipment, part of which was in the possession of the Afghan army. The Daily Mail confirmed in a report at the time that the Taliban seized an air force worth millions dollars, including American helicopters and fighters, and the movement also took control of 10 important air bases.