US and Taliban representatives discussed ongoing efforts to enable the $3.5 billion in licensed Afghan central bank reserves to be used for the benefit of the Afghan people.
A US delegation has discussed with Taliban officials efforts to enable the release of billions of dollars from Afghan central bank reserves, the State Department said.
The meeting, involving Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West and Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson, took place on Wednesday, the State Department said on Thursday in a release.
"The United States expressed the need to address the urgent humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. The two sides discussed ongoing efforts to enable the $3.5 billion in licensed Afghan central bank reserves to be used for the benefit of the Afghan people," the media note said.
The meetings took place after the conclusion of the Uzbekistan-hosted Tashkent Conference on Afghanistan on July 26.
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Global recognition
The Taliban is seeking a way to unlock some of the country's foreign reserves — currently frozen by the United States — following a devastating earthquake in June, with the United States looking for assurances the money would go to help the population.
After taking over Afghanistan in July 2021, the Taliban sought international recognition but Western nations are reluctant to do so, citing humanitarian issues and freedom of expression.
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