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Transcript/ScriptUS Afghanistan (TV)
HEADLINE: Aid to Afghanistan a 'Moral Hazard,' US Lawmakers Say
TEASER: Afghans are hoping negotiations with the Taliban will have a positive impact on the economy
PUBLISHED AT: Thursday, 02/10/2022, 7:09 pm
BYLINE: Katherine Gypson
PRODUCERS: Katherine Gypson,
DATELINE: Washington
VIDEOGRAPHER: Ayesha Tanzeem
SCRIPT EDITORS: AP, BR, DJ OK
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, AP
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 3:25
VID APPROVED BY: Holly Franko
TYPE: TVPKG
UPDATE: BALANCE READ NEEDED))
[[NOTE: All broll for this piece is in Frame.io-Central Workspace-In-Progress-Katherine Gypson-Afghanistan]]
[[TV/web intro: ))
[[Six months after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, American lawmakers have few good options for assisting the struggling Afghan economy without enabling the Taliban government. As VOA's Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson reports, many aid organizations want the U.S. to unfreeze Afghanistan's currency reserves to help alleviate the country's humanitarian crisis.]]
((Narrator))
Afghans are struggling through the first winter of Taliban rule in 20 years….
((Bahram Ali, Taxi Driver)) ((needs English VO)) ((SOT 2 at about 1:00))
“Let's hope that situation gets better for the people who are already suffering from poverty and hunger. If the Taliban government could cooperate with the international community and the world, we will have a good future, if not, God knows what will happen.”
((Narrator))
According to the World Food Program, only 2% of Afghans will have enough to eat this winter and the United Nations has put out an emergency call for $4.4 billion in aid to stave off a looming humanitarian crisis. Non-governmental organizations say the cause of the crisis is clear.
((David Miliband, International Rescue Committee CEO))
((MRT Clip to come))
“Afghanistan is a starving country, not just a poor country. The reason — I'm very sorry to report — the proximate cause of this starvation crisis is the international economic policy, which has been adopted since August and which has cut off financial flows not just to the public sector but in the private sector, in Afghanistan, as well.”
((Narrator))
After the Taliban took control of the country in August,
((MANDATORY COURTESY: FAO))
Washington froze $9.4 billion in currency reserves – leaving U.S. lawmakers with few good options for assisting the Afghan people, without benefiting the Taliban government.
((END COURTESY))
((Sen. Chris Murphy, Democrat))
((MRT Clip to Come))
"There is, frankly, moral hazard in putting billions into Afghanistan right now. We can do our best to route it around the Taliban, but there is no doubt that the partial effect of aid is to save the Taliban from itself. That is deeply distasteful."
((Narrator))
Aid experts told lawmakers unfreezing private assets and freeing up money in the Afghan Reconstruction Fund could provide some direct relief to Afghans.
((Graeme Smith, International Crisis Group))
((MRT Clip to Come))
"Unfortunately, many of these steps require cooperation with the Taliban. That is hard, and it is distasteful, especially as the Taliban continue to flout human rights standards. Months of talks between the Taliban and Western officials have not resulted in much progress, and the impasse is partly the Taliban's fault. They have resisted reasonable demands.”
((Narrator))
((Broll of Capitol))
U.S. lawmakers know the costs of failure are high.
((Sen. Todd Young, Republican))
((MRT Clip to Come))
“We of course must continue to be vigilant in our efforts to deny the Taliban any resources — financial or otherwise — they can use to conduct further acts of terror. The worst-case scenario of all would be if humanitarian aid were diverted from legitimate recipients towards the Taliban and (their) partners and terror."
((Narrator))
But in Kabul, Afghans are hoping negotiations with the Taliban will have a positive impact on the economy.
((Sayed Baqer Mirzai, University Student)) ((needs English VO)) ((SOT 10 at 00:58))
“I want them to engage with the international community. Now they are under economic sanctions. They should establish a joint government with all ethnic groups included. To have a true Afghan government so all sides see themselves in it.”
((Qari Omid Hussaini, Kabul Resident)) ((needs English VO))
((SOT at 2:40))
“I want Islamic Emirates to use the foreign aid to build factories so the people can earn a living through their own work.”
((Narrator))
Last month, the Biden administration pledged to donate an additional $308 million in humanitarian aid to address the crisis.
Katherine Gypson, VOA News, Washington
NewsML Media TopicsEconomy, Business and Finance, Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateFebruary 10, 2022 19:15 EST
BylineKatherine Gypson
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
