Ninety-seven percent of Afghans could be living in poverty this year. After the Taliban takeover in August, the United States renewed sanctions and froze Afghan funds, leaving the banking system in shambles. In February, US President Joe Biden signed an executive order to release $7bn of Afghan funds held in US banks but he also directed half of that money to the family members of September 11th victims. What happens will be decided by a judge. Biden wants the other half to go into a trust fund to aid Afghans. Hear why the founder of one Afghan charity thinks these are both bad ideas and where he hopes the money will go instead.

In this episode: 

• Obaidullah Baheer (@ObaidullaBaheer), lecturer at American University Afghanistan, visiting Scholar at The New School and founder of “Save Afghans from Hunger”

Connect with The Take: 

Twitter (@AJTheTake), Instagram (@ajthetake) and Facebook (@TheTakePod)