Two years ago, on August 15, 2021, the Taliban, the radical Islamic force that controlled Afghanistan from 1996-2001, completed their rapid military campaign to take control of Afghanistan from the army.

Under its agreement with the US signed in Doha in February 2020, the Taliban committed to rebuilding the country and building peace and stability. But over the past two years, the Taliban failed to fulfill its commitment to building comprehensive, inclusive government and ensure security and better economy for Afghanistan.

Existing challenges

When taking over the country, the Taliban declared Afghanistan as a country with an Islamic system where everyone has full rights and there is neither injustice nor corruption.

Despite the undeniable differences between the current Taliban state and the extremely repressive Taliban government of more than 20 years ago, Afghanistan has over the past two years seen a setback in its efforts in boosting development and international integration, especially in the implementation of social benefits and feminism.

The role of women has been limited. Beauty salons are closed. Girls are not allowed to attend school after the 6th grade. Women are only allowed to leave the house in case of necessity and with a mandatory male escort. They are not allowed to work in most government agencies and are required to wear the Burqua, a head-to-toe and full-face covering in public places.

So far, no country has officially recognized the Taliban government. Before the Taliban took power in August 2021, international aid accounted for 40 percent of Afghanistan's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 80 percent of the country's budget. The aid was considered the backbone of the Afghan economy.

But since the Taliban took power, international financial aid has been cut, leaving only a small amount of humanitarian aid. About 9 billion USD worth of foreign exchange reserves have been frozen due to the deadlocked negotiations to recover the frozen foreign exchange reserves between the Central Bank of Afghanistan and the US. Leaders of the West say advancement of women's rights will be "key" to the Taliban's access to this source of capital.

Foreign companies and financial institutions remain wary of cooperating with the Taliban government. As a result, the Afghan economy has shrunk by as much as 40% in the past year.

The United Nations estimates that around 25 million Afghans, or about half of the population, are living in poverty and face severe food insecurity. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has increased global food prices. Scarcity of water resources and the difficulties for agriculture have exacerbated the economic crisis. Against this backdrop, the UN has warned of a humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan.

Unstable future

Over the past two years, the Taliban have also faced serious internal problems with rising sectarian conflicts which fuel fears of a civil war. Afghanistan is likely to become a safe haven for transnational terrorist groups and extremist organizations.

The Islamic State group (IS) is the biggest threat to the Taliban government. In recent years, IS has carried out several attacks on Taliban government officials.

The gloomy picture in Afghanistan 2 years after the Taliban took power has worried the international community.

Without addressing the problems in a coordinated manner, improving the economy, reducing international isolation, and pursuing a more open policy, it would be a long way for Afghanistan to achieve stability and growth.