The United Nations Development Programme has recently announced that access to financial resources is a “major obstacle” facing businesses in Afghanistan.
In a statement released the organization said that with support for a credit support scheme, it has facilitated the provision of over 23,700 loans for small and medium-sized enterprises starting from 2024.
The statement noted that as a result, job opportunities have been created for more than 47,000 individuals.
This program, which was launched in 2024, has mobilized over $71 million in private capital.
Carolina Metzva, the UNDP coordinator in Afghanistan, stated that the organization is investing in the private sector in Afghanistan.
She emphasized that the UNDP is helping to promote sustainable growth for families, particularly women in Afghanistan, by supporting the private sector.
She added that for women and girls in Afghanistan, starting a business is often the last remaining option for work and income generation.
The UNDP coordinator clarified that the organization supports businesses in Afghanistan by providing loans, training programs, and access to solar energy.
She mentioned that the UNDP has contributed to the preservation and sustainable growth of 89,000 businesses from 2021 to this year.
Ibrahim Tombi, a project manager at the UNDP, stated that this program is essentially about “risk-sharing.”
According to him, based on criteria set by the UN Development Fund, assurances are given to the private sector and banks to support young people who have “business plans and enthusiasm” but lack initial investment capital.
Through the “credit guarantee” program, banks are encouraged to lend to businesses that have “growth potential.”
This comes at a time when the interim government has prohibited women from education and work in both public and private sectors following its takeover of Afghanistan.
