This decision, endorsed by the bank's executive board, is aimed at providing crucial support for basic services like food, water, health, education, and employment opportunities.

Notably, these funds are designated to bypass Islamic Emirate control and will complement the ongoing efforts of the Afghanistan Resilience Trust Fund (ARTF), which has already channeled $1.5 billion in donor aid through partner organizations, benefiting millions of Afghans.

This marks the first direct allocation of World Bank funds to Afghanistan since the Islamic Emirate's seizure of power in August 2021. The IDA fund, which disburses grants and concessional loans to the world's poorest nations, is replenished by donor countries every few years, with the current replenishment cycle set to conclude in 2025. (ILKHA)