Afghanistan’s Economic, Poverty and Gender Issues

A Look at Two New World Bank Reports and Their Implications for Policy

Despite showing signs of stabilization in 2022, the Afghan economy faces dire challenges as the country enters its third year under Taliban rule. With declining international aid and other economic shocks, even modest progress could evaporate at great harm to the Afghan people. The ongoing humanitarian crisis, already one of the worst in the world, particularly affects women and girls and could easily get worse.

It is under these precarious conditions that the World Bank has published two new reports: the latest “Afghanistan Development Update” and the third round of its ongoing “Afghanistan Welfare Monitoring Survey.” These reports lay out the country’s current economic context and its trends in welfare and poverty, underlining the severe problems facing the Afghan people.

On November 8, USIP and the World Bank hosted a conversation with two of the reports’ authors as well as leading experts on Afghanistan’s economy. The discussion will look at the reports’ policy implications, such as the country’s economic outlook, how the international community should respond, and what the Taliban can do to ameliorate the economic downturn and humanitarian crisis.

For more information about this event, please visit

Speakers:

Scott Worden, welcoming remarks

Director, Afghanistan and Central Asia Programs, U.S. Institute of Peace

Eduardo Olaberria, opening remarks

Program Leader, Equitable Growth, Finance and Institutions for Afghanistan, The World Bank

Bill Byrd, moderator

Senior Expert, Afghanistan, U.S Institute of Peace

Silvia Redaelli

Senior Economist, The World Bank

Muhammad Waheed

Senior Country Economist, The World Bank

'Khalid Payenda

Director and Cofounder, Institute for Development and Economic Affairs

Paul Fishstein

Non-resident Fellow, Center on International Cooperation, New York University

Naheed Sarabi

Director and Cofounder, Institute for Development and Economic Affairs

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The United States Institute of Peace is a national, nonpartisan, independent institute, founded by Congress and dedicated to the proposition that a world without violent conflict is possible, practical and essential for U.S. and global security. In conflict zones abroad, the Institute works with local partners to prevent, mitigate, and resolve violent conflict. To reduce future crises and the need for costly interventions, USIP works with governments and civil societies to build local capacities to manage conflict peacefully. The Institute pursues its mission by linking research, policy, training, analysis and direct action to support those who are working to build a more peaceful, inclusive world. Learn more about USIP