is funded with contributions by its 190 member nations, and the United States is the largest shareholder. So its opposition to the Taliban obtaining access to the reserve assets, known as Special Drawing Rights, carries significant weight. The reserve assets, which can be exchanged for dollars or other currencies, are divided among countries, and Afghanistan was set to receive its share next week. Canada, the European Union and Russia have said publicly that they are not ready to recognize the Taliban as the government in Afghanistan. Jake Sullivan, the White House’s National Security Adviser, said Tuesday that it was too soon to address whether the United States will recognize the Taliban as the legitimate power in Afghanistan.

Source: International New York Times August 18, 2021 17:49 UTC