The Fund for the Afghan People

This chapter explores the establishment and challenges of the Fund for the Afghan People, a Switzerland-based charity created in September 2022 to safeguard part of Afghanistan’s central bank reserves and facilitate cross-border transactions. Utilizing official government documentation, personal communications, and published research on Afghanistan’s economy, the chapter examines the economic, political, and legal context of the Fund’s creation shedding light on an often-underexplored topic. The main argument centers on the misconceptions regarding U.S. intentions and the reasons for the Fund’s inactivity. The chapter concludes with recommendations for mobilizing the Fund’s assets to alleviate Afghanistan’s economic isolation and promote sustainable growth, including leveraging assets for renewable energy investments and improving cross-border payment mechanisms.