Can the Taliban be trusted with Afghanistan aid?

Much of the world is facing a stark choice with Afghanistan: accept the Taliban as the country’s new leaders, or continue shutting them out.

The group has been barred from accessing the Afghan central bank’s foreign assets worth $10bn.

The United Nations has warned of an economic meltdown, saying 97 percent of the population could be living in poverty within a year. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an urgent injection of cash and aid.

Neighbouring Pakistan, meanwhile, has urged the United States to unfreeze Afghanistan’s foreign assets.

What will the international community do now?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Obaidullah Baheer – Lecturer of transitional justice, American University of Afghanistan

Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili – Associate professor at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh

Michael Semple – Professor at the Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice, Queen’s University Belfast