Following the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan, the Taliban spokesperson in an interview with an Italian newspaper La Repubblica on Thursday said that it is looking to rely primarily on financial help from China. Amid widespread hunger and fearing economic breakdown in the country, the group sees China as the "most important partner".
"China represents a fundamental and extraordinary opportunity for us because it is ready to invest and rebuild our country," Mujahid was quoted by La Repubblica.
On August 15, the Taliban captured Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul after the US-backed government fell, bringing an end to the 20 year-long war at the cost of several lives and a trillion of money. Subsequently, with the hasty departure of the foreign forces from Kabul airport in recent weeks, a sharp restriction on providing aid payments to Afghanistan has been put in place by the Western states.
“China is our most important partner and represents a fundamental and extraordinary opportunity for us because it is ready to invest and rebuild our country,” the Taliban spokesperson was quoted as saying in the interview.
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'One Belt One Road', a New Silk Road, an infrastructure initiative by China with which it wants to expand its global influence by opening up trade routes - was held in high regard by the Taliban, Mujahid informed.
There are “rich copper mines in the country, which, thanks to the Chinese, can be put back into operation and modernised. In addition, China is our pass to markets all over the world,” said Mujahid.
Mujahid further confirmed that women will be permitted to pursue their studies at universities in future. Women would be able to work as nurses, in the police, or even as assistants in ministries, but warded off that female would be there in the new government.
As the western troops left Afghanistan was now in desperate need of monetary funds and the Taliban wouldn’t get speedy access to the roughly $10bn in assets chiefly held overseas by the Afghan central bank.
Earlier this week, United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres has cautioned the world of an emerging "humanitarian catastrophe" in Afghanistan and he urged nations to provide emergency funding because of the harsh drought and war that forced thousands of families to flee their homes. Expressing "grave concern at the deepening humanitarian and economic crisis in the country," Guterres stated that basic services are on verge of a complete collapse in the war-torn country.
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“Now more than ever, Afghan children, women and men need the support and solidarity of the international community,” he said in a statement on Tuesday, pleading for financial assistance from wealthy nations.
The UN secretary-general said: “I urge all member states to dig deep for the people of Afghanistan in their darkest hour of need. I urge them to provide timely, flexible and comprehensive funding.”