January 30, 2024 Quarterly Report to Congress

Continues to Reject Normalization with Afghanistan In response to UN resolution 2721, a State Department representative said, “We think the resolution sends a clear message to the Taliban, to the Afghan people, and to the world” that “Afghanistan is integrated into the international community only by meeting its international obligations.” Speaking before the U. [...] Instead, Griffiths urged partners to invest in development and address the root causes of conflict, climate change, and economic dynamics.34 Due to limited funding and the protracted nature of the crisis in Afghanistan, UN OCHA is working to transform the status quo of humani- tarian assistance away from repetitive cycles of humanitarian relief to a model of meeting basic human needs and investing. [...] The driver was injured, but a Taliban law enforcement officer intervened and escorted the truck to the distribution site where the food was successfully distributed.52 REPORT TO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS I JANUARY 30, 2024 27 RECENT DEVELOPMENTS TALIBAN GOVERNANCE Taliban Outreach Efforts in Afghanistan and Abroad According to the December 2023 report of the UN Secretary-General on the situation. [...] The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan reported in June 2023 that “nowhere else in the world has there been an attack as widespread, systematic, and all-encompassing on the rights of women and girls as in Afghanistan.”75 Since gaining power in 2021, the Taliban have issued over 100 edicts limiting women’s rights, access to education, employment, and freedom of mo. [...] S.-based accounts to help provide greater stability to the Afghan economy and benefit the people of Afghanistan.202 State previously announced that the Fund is “explicitly not intended to make humanitarian disbursements.”203 The Taliban are not involved in the Afghan Fund or the management of its assets and have pro- tested its creation.204 The Fund could disburse monies to keep Afghanistan curren.