Insight and opinion from The National’s editorial leadership
December 03, 2021
Afghanistan’s economy has been crippled for years. Until the Taliban swept to power in August, up to three quarters of the country’s GDP was derived from international aid. Even in that context, however, a recent report from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) on the state of the Afghan economy makes for a shocking read. UNDP predicts that the country’s nominal GDP is likely to contract by a further 20 per cent within a year – having already shrunk by nearly half in the past three months within a year. If the decline continues, it may see a contraction as high as 30 per cent.
The head of UNDP in Afghanistan, Abdallah Al Dardari, drew comparisons with Lebanon, although he still said that the scale of the contraction is one “we’ve never seen before”.
Afghanistan is teetering on the brink of a number of disasters. The country depends on food imports. If the economic meltdown disrupts these, 23 million people, more than half of the population, would need food support. If electricity, another key import, is interrupted, 10 million people would be plunged into darkness.
Afghanistan is teetering on the brink of a number of disasters
Between 2001 to 2020, an estimated $150 billion in non-military US aid was pumped into the country. That attempt to form a robust state and economy has clearly failed. But depressing results from past failures must not translate into present-day disengagement. With the Taliban showing itself to be obstinate to change, institution building may be difficult. But aid from the international community will still play a crucial role in saving lives. Donors should focus on desperately needed short-term measures to at least stabilise the decline.
Yesterday, there was an important development, when the World Bank said it backs transferring $280m in frozen funds to two key aid agencies in the country.
The UN, moreover, has said it will target a crisis response initiative at “supporting the most vulnerable populations and collapsing micro businesses”. This will help keep many Afghan families alive and afloat. But even as a stop-gap solution, it has limits. Large programmes that reach the most vulnerable populations in such a vast, poorly connected country will be difficult to implement without some oversight or assistance from local Taliban commanders, who could divert a share of funds for themselves or their organisation. Smaller programmes may be easier to implement, but monitoring, evaluation and accountability are difficult.
Hard decisions need to be made in order to find an aid model that works for the new Afghanistan. Any assistance is vulnerable to exploitation by the Taliban. That is a risk that must factor into solutions, but not prevent any solutions altogether. Thus far, Afghans begging for help are being met largely with silence from a sheepish world that expresses sympathy for their plight, but offers no way out.
Development experts and the donors who fund them must decide quickly whether and how they will help Afghans survive. There is no time to dither over moral or diplomatic conundrums. For now, it’s the basics that matter.
MATCH INFO
New Zealand 176-8 (20 ovs)
England 155 (19.5 ovs)
New Zealand win by 21 runs
RACE CARD
4pm Al Bastakiya – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
4.35pm Dubai City Of Gold – Group 2 (TB) $228,000 (Turf) 2,410m
5.10pm Mahab Al Shimaal – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,200m
5.45pm Burj Nahaar – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m
6.20pm Jebel Hatta – Group 1 (TB) $260,000 (T) 1,800m
6.55pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 – Group 1 (TB) $390,000 (D) 2,000m
7.30pm Nad Al Sheba – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (T) 1,200m
Dubai World Cup prize money
Group 1 (Purebred Arabian) 2000m Dubai Kahayla Classic - $750,000
Group 2 1,600m(Dirt) Godolphin Mile - $750,000
Group 2 3,200m (Turf) Dubai Gold Cup – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Turf) Al Quoz Sprint – $1,000,000
Group 2 1,900m(Dirt) UAE Derby – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Dirt) Dubai Golden Shaheen – $1,500,000
Group 1 1,800m (Turf) Dubai Turf – $4,000,000
Group 1 2,410m (Turf) Dubai Sheema Classic – $5,000,000
Group 1 2,000m (Dirt) Dubai World Cup– $12,000,000
Sid Jhurani is not the first cricketer from the UAE to go to the UK to try his luck.
Rameez Shahzad Played alongside Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett in Durham while he was studying there. He also played club cricket as an overseas professional, but his time in the UK stunted his UAE career. The batsman went a decade without playing for the national team.
Yodhin Punja The seam bowler was named in the UAE’s extended World Cup squad in 2015 despite being just 15 at the time. He made his senior UAE debut aged 16, and subsequently took up a scholarship at Claremont High School in the south of England.
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Priority access to new homes from participating developers
Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
Flexible payment plans from developers
Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Results
2.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m
Winner Lamia, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
3pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,000m
Winner Jap Al Afreet, Elione Chaves, Irfan Ellahi.
3.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m
Winner MH Tawag, Bernardo Pinheiro, Elise Jeanne.
4pm Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 2,000m
Winner Skygazer, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
4.30pm The Ruler of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh250,000 1,700m
Winner AF Kal Noor, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
5pm Sharjah Marathon (PA) Dh70,000 2,700m
Winner RB Grynade, Bernardo Pinheiro, Eric Lemartinel.
The Orwell Prize for Political Writing
Twelve books were longlisted for The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. The non-fiction works cover various themes from education, gender bias, and the environment to surveillance and political power. Some of the books that made it to the non-fiction longlist include:
Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War by Tim Bouverie
Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me by Kate Clanchy
Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
Follow Me, Akhi: The Online World of British Muslims by Hussein Kesvani
Guest House for Young Widows: Among the Women of ISIS by Azadeh Moaveni
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
