Afghanistan Economy : Mass unemployment persists in Afghanistan, three years after the Taliban insurgency subsided

Afghanistan economy : Three years since the ebbing of Taliban insurgency had given hope to many that their country might soon experience peace and prosperity for a change, Afghanistan today remains an economy locked in stagnation as its population slips deeper into despair.

The United Nations says a third of Afghanistan’s estimated 40 million people are on bread and tea, unemployment is sky-high while the World Bank has warned there could be zero growth in next few years.

But even if you include the improvements following the Taliban takeover in 2021, their government is still not recognised as a legitimate entity by any other nation.

Its currency has proved surprisingly robust, corruption no longer quite ubiquitous and tax collection better.

Officials have, however developed economic,, commercial,”,transit trade. investment links in the area,” Ahmad Zahid Malaysia’s Deputy Commissioner for Trade and Industry said.

Afghanistan has vast mineral and agricultural potential that the Taliban government is trying to develop, but they are limited by a lack of infrastructure as well as both domestic and foreign expertise and capital.

Yes, the Afghans are glad to have less risk in their lives now but many remain occupied with stories of just trying to survive.

Four people were contacted by AFP from different parts of the country in the run up to this week’s anniversary of Kabul’s fall.

The optimistic businessman

Slideshow ( 5 images )Fifty-four-year-old Azizullah Rehmati, however, was doing brisk business his saffron company in the western province of Herat is on track to double production this year.

Till 2021, his “Red Gold Saffron Company” had armed guards accompanying the precious spice from the factory to airport in what was considered an alarming security arrangement but this has changed thanks to an uplifted climate of law and order.

Rehmati, who exports to 27 countries said “now there is no problem”.

Here, women with tongs sort the red stigmas of precious saffron spice at his processing facility.

Women are largely unable to work now due to Taliban government restrictions, though Rehmati still has a job with one of the 50 per cent of Afghan employers who will employ women.

One the biggest hurdles for Rehmati — and Afghanistan in general– is a broken banking sector.

“Having the banking channels reopened is so crucial,” said Sulaiman Bin Shah, deputy trade minister under the previous government.

The industry is impeded by sanctions and a freeze on central bank assets.

His bank, Rehmati says, cannot make international transfers — or receive deposits in Pakistan (you can Columbia Threadneedle on Middle East and getting paid for coaching.

Visa for abroad trips is also a big issue

Henley Index, which monitors global ease of migration, rates Afghan passports the world’s worst; several other nations since Taliban seized control have closed their embassies.

So we are going to be very withdrawn from the world market,” Rehmati said.

The out-of-work musician

Wahid Nekzai Logari was part of Afghanistan’s national orchestra, and he played concerts on the sarinda – a traditional stringed-instrument- as well as harmonium.

“I supported my whole family. Inside his modest home in a Kabul suburb, the 46-year-old said: “We had a good life.

But the Taliban have banned public music-making as un-Islamic, leaving many of its tens of thousands in low-paid work destitute.

“Since then I am jobless,” said Logari.

To feed his seven-member family, he even drives a cab — earning just 5,000 afghanis ($70) a month compared to the $300 per gig.

“Nobody told us, ‘You can’t play music anymore but we’ll find you a way to feed your family,’ ” he said.

The former insurgent, turned bureaucrat

Abdul Wali Shaheen (pictured) and several other key figures in the government office were members of the Taliban who had put down their rocket launchers after their fighters stormed through, taken over Ghazni city last month.

“Back when I did it, (I was) not as stressed out today,” the 31-year-old said with a smile.

We only performed Jihad: now itʼs become harder. There is just more, let us say; I have more people responsibilities.

Nevertheless, on a monthly salary of 10,000 Afghanis Shaheen can feed his family four and is content with the direction Afghanistan is heading.

For me its 10/10 for the Emirate these three years.

“Things are moving in the right direction and we will look forward to that,” he says.

The Hidden Beautician

The closure order of beauty salons last year “broke her heart” but Sayeda — not her real name — had been stealthily operating elsewhere in Kabul four months ago.

A 21-year-old manager said: “We found this place to rent, with the condition that customers come very discreetly and some of our employees sleep here so neighbours think a family lives here.

Sayeda, who still has 25 staff so “everyone gets something to live by”, says: ‘We would have up to 30 or even 40 customers through the door a day.

That of Sayeda has decreased from 25,000 afghanis per month to a range between eight and twelve thousand.

She added,”We work in hiding and the police may close us any moment.

Across illegal “salons” if they existed, broke the equipment found badly treated staff and imposed fines on them.