World Bank: Taliban Allocates Half of Government Budget to Security Sector

DID Press: World Bank has reported that Afghanistan’s interim Taliban government allocated nearly half of its 2025 budget to the security sector, highlighting the group’s heavy prioritization of military spending over economic and social needs.

The World Bank’s recent data indicates that despite Pakistan’s closed borders, Afghanistan’s exports in October reached record levels.

According to the report, total Taliban government spending during the first seven months of the 1404 fiscal year rose 18.5 percent to approximately 155.7 billion Afghanis, of which 75.6 billion Afghanis were spent on security forces.

The World Bank noted that such a large share of the budget for security significantly constrains the government’s ability to invest in public services and economic development.

The institution also described Afghanistan’s economic situation as “highly fragile,” emphasizing that recurring earthquakes, severe drought, mass returns of migrants, and disruptions in telecommunications have increased the country’s vulnerability.

Despite these challenges, the Taliban’s domestic revenue in 2025 rose 16 percent compared to the same period last year, attributed by the World Bank to improved tax collection and growth in certain economic sectors.

The report further states that Afghan exports in October 2025 increased by 13 percent year-on-year, reaching $267 million, despite the halt of trade with Pakistan. Growth was primarily driven by exports to India and Uzbekistan, along with a strong agricultural harvest and low domestic inflation improving Afghanistan’s export competitiveness.

Food exports reached $238.4 million in October, an 8.6 percent increase over the previous year, reflecting strong regional demand for Afghan agricultural products.

Following recent border clashes between the Taliban and Pakistan, Islamabad closed trade crossings with Afghanistan. The Taliban Ministry of Finance, however, has emphasized that trade continues “without challenge” through alternative routes.

Abdul Ghani Baradar, Taliban deputy for economic affairs, called on Afghan traders to strengthen new trade and transit corridors. Pakistani officials cited “security concerns” as the reason for the closures and indicated that reopening would depend on further cooperation from the Taliban.