Widespread hunger, soaring inflation, rising fuel costs, and girls largely left out of the education system. Those have been some of the economic effects of a year of Taliban rule in Afghanistan.
The group swept back into power in August 2021 as a 20-year operation by U.S. forces and their allies ended in a disorganized and chaotic withdrawal.
The United Nations now estimates roughly half the population is suffering from acute hunger, while most international aid has been suspended. In June, the UN Security Council reported the Afghan economy had contracted by as much as 40% since the withdrawal and that the economic situation remains “dire.”
As the central bank governor, Ajmal Ahmady had been in charge of keeping Afghanistan’s economy on an even keel. But, like other officials, he fled the country when the Taliban took control last year. Just days later, we spoke to him about that decision…
