WASHINGTON: The World Bank’s executive board has endorsed a new approach to its relationship with the people of Afghanistan under which new funds of around $300 million could be made available, outside the control of the Taliban authorities.

The Bank’s new engagement with Afghanistan, dubbed “Approach 3.0,” will also revive a regional infrastructure project that was paused after the Afghan Taliban took control of the country in August 2021, the Bank announced in a statement on Thursday.

Under the approach, World Bank’s lending arm for some of the world’s poorest countries, known as the International Devel­opment Associ­ation (IDA), will make available around $300m over the next 15 months, subject to further board approval, a spokesperson told AFP.

However, as with other World Bank funding in the country, the new funding would be deployed “through grants to United Nations agencies and other public international organisations,” the Bank said announcing the board decision.

“These funds will continue supporting basic services nationwide, particularly those benefiting women, and will be outside the control of the Interim Taliban Admini­stration,” it added.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2024