WB suspends $600M worth of projects in Afghanistan over school ban

The World Bank has announced that they have put on hold four projects in Afghanistan worth of $600 million following the ban on girls’ secondary schools in the country.

The projects that were funded by Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) concentrated on agriculture, education, health, and livelihood.

The World Bank has expressed deep concern over restrictions on girls’ education adding the projects are put on hold as the ARTF-financed activities are required to support equal access to and equal access of services for women and girls in Afghanistan.

The bank has asked all ARTF donors to wait for their approval so that the bank better understand the situation in Afghanistan and that the goals of the projects are met.

On March 1^st, the World Bank unfroze $1 billion from the ARTF to be used in four key sectors in Afghanistan bypassing the de facto authorities and were supposed to be used by the UN aid agencies.

Earlier, the US put off a planned meeting with the Taliban authorities in Doha in reaction to the ban on teenage girls’ education.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced the ban on girls’ secondary schools on March 23^rd as boys are allowed to attend classes of all levels.

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