New Delhi: The World Bank has said the Afghan economy, shattered in the Taliban era, is now showing some signs of growth but the recovery is fragile, the media reported.
The mountainous, land-locked country’s economy has been under severe crisis as many people have lost jobs or emigrated to other countries.
In its Wednesday statement, the World Bank said Afghanistan’s modest growth of 2.7 percent was driven by private consumption. The partial recovery, coupled with falling food prices, helped to gradually improve household welfare.
Before the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, the Afghan economy heavily relied on foreign aid amid huge corruption. After the Islamist rule returned, foreign-held funds worth billions of US dollars were frozen and skilled Afghans left the country with whatever money they had.
Afghanistan’s exports remained stable in 2023-24 but imports surged, creating a widening trade deficit. This deficit, exacerbated by dependence on imports for essential goods like fuel, food, and machinery, could pose a risk to the country’s economic stability.
The World Report’s observations came when the Taliban recently ordered educational institutions to stop providing medical training to women and girls and imposed other restrictions on them.
On Thursday, UNICEF said it was deeply alarmed by the restrictions on women which could jeopardize their access to health care, and limit their role in contributing to society and earning an income. This would also have far-reaching consequences for the health of the Afghan population.