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Hayden Bicknell

Sara Price

Model UN

13 February 2023

The United States of America Policy Paper

Although the Afghan government is making efforts to solve their current humanitarian crisis

brought on by years of war, the United States of America is pursuing a policy that prioritizes aid for the

basic needs of the Afghan people: food, agriculture, health, and education.

With the withdrawal of international forces and the rise of the Taliban, war within Afghanistan

has been reduced, however, the United States of America and its allies remain committed to the idea

that no international aid should enrich the Taliban. This position coupled with recent national disasters,

a national drought declared in June 2021, flash floods destroying key agricultural lands in late August

of 2022, and a 5.9 magnitude earthquake in June 2022, has placed Afghanistan in a humanitarian crisis

(Afghanistan). According to the article Afghanistan Humanitarian Crisis, “Afghanistan has faced

unprecedented levels of hunger for over a year. The World Food Programme (WFP) says 90% of

people in Afghanistan face insufficient food consumption.” (Afghanistan). Therefore, the United States

of America has pursued a policy of sending basic needs aid to Afghanistan through agencies and NGOs

rather than supplying this aid to the Taliban. (U.S. Relations).

The United States of America is committed to helping the people of Afghanistan who are in

crisis (United). We have been the leading funder of humanitarian aid providing over $775 million

dollars to date. (Boot) The United States of America believes a critical part of the solution to the

Afghan humanitarian crisis is continuing to provide significant ongoing humanitarian aid in the areas of

food, agriculture, health, and education. (U.S.Relations) Although The United States of America does
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not recognize the Taliban as Afghanistan's government we are willing to engage with the Taliban in

order to come to a resolution that benefits the Afghan people. (Solutions) If the Taliban continues to

work within the structure of the Doha Agreement and participate in intra-Afghan negotiations this

could create a post-settlement government that could be recognized by international bodies. A

recognized government would provide access to frozen Afghan government assets and international

financial systems. This influx of assets would then provide economic resources to help the Afghan

government directly tackle their humanitarian crisis. Failure by the Taliban to work within the structure

of the Doha agreement will not prevent the United States of America from continuing to provide

humanitarian aid, but it will prevent sanctions from being lifted. (U.S. Relations)
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Work Cited

“Afghanistan Humanitarian Crisis.” Center for Disaster Philanthropy, 20 Jan. 2023,

https://disasterphilanthropy.org/disasters/afghanistan-humanitarian-crisis/#:~:text=Afghan
istan%20has%20faced%20unprecedented%20levels,need%20humanitarian%20assistance
%20in%202023.

Boot, Max. “The U.S. Holds Limited Influence in the Taliban's Afghanistan.” Council on Foreign
Relations, Council on Foreign Relations, 16 Aug. 2022,
https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/us-holds-limited-influence-talibans-afghanistan.

“Solutions for Addressing the Humanitarian Crisis in Afghanistan.” GIWPS, 21 Mar. 2022,
https://giwps.georgetown.edu/event/solutions-for-addressing-the-humanitarian-crisis-in-af
ghanistan/#:~:text=International%20actors%20must%20actively%20engage,which%20ser
ve%20as%20sanctions%20exceptions.

“U.S. Relations with Afghanistan - United States Department of State.” U.S. Department of State,
U.S. Department of State, 15 Aug. 2022,
https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-afghanistan/#:~:text=The%20United%20States%
20established%20diplomatic,lives%20of%20the%20Afghan%20people.

“United States Announces Humanitarian Assistance for Afghanistan - United States Department
of State.” U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of State, 23 Sept. 2022,
https://www.state.gov/united-states-announces-humanitarian-assistance-for-afghanistan/#:
~:text=The%20United%20States%20is%20providing,help%20the%20people%20of%20A
fghanistan.