The Trump administration has slashed $1 billion of aid to Afghanistan as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo slammed the country’s political rivals over a feud jeopardising efforts to end America’s longest-ever war.
Mr Pompeo delivered a strongly-worded statement as he flew home from a fruitless day in Kabul aimed at ending competing claims to the presidency by President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah and winning their agreement to form “an inclusive government.”
The announcement at the end of the mission he undertook despite the global coronavirus pandemic underscored how badly stalled the US-led effort to end the 18-year war in Afghanistan has become.
The US “deeply regrets” that Mr Ghani and Mr Abdullah were “unable to agree on an inclusive government”, said Mr Pompeo, adding that “their failure has harmed US-Afghan relations and, sadly, dishonours those Afghan, Americans, and coalition partners who have sacrificed their lives”.
“We are today announcing a responsible adjustment to our spending in Afghanistan and immediately reducing assistance by $1billion this year. We are prepared to reduce by another $1billion in 2021,” he said.
“We will also initiate a review of all of our programmes and projects to identify additional reductions.”
On his way back to Washington, Mr Pompeo landed at a base in Qatar for a 75-minute meeting with Taliban officials, including their top negotiator, Mullah Baradar Akhund.
Speaking to reporters after departing Qatar, Mr Pompeo indicated that the aid cut could be reversed if Mr Ghani and Mr Abdullah came to an agreement.
He said the US would continue a phased “conditions-based” troop withdrawal as specified in a deal with the Taliban signed last month.
