US Withholds $25 Million Grant, Stranding 1,000 Students at Afghan University

The United States State Department has blocked a $25 million grant to the American University of Afghanistan. The decision leaves the institution without its largest source of financial support. The university serves approximately 1,000 students. About three-quarters of the student body are women.

The State Department press office cited a history of poor accountability for American taxpayer money as the reason for the refusal. A former US federal inspector who oversaw a financial probe into the university, John Sopko, noted the surprise many felt that funding continued despite earlier findings. He stated, 'I was surprised they were still funding AUAF.'

The funding dispute follows a long history of scrutiny. US inspectors opened an investigation into the university's finances in 2016. By 2018, those inspectors reported that poor accounting practices made it impossible to track exactly how aid money was spent. A US report from that year found the United States paid nearly 90% of the university's bills.

Patrick Fine, who served as the Afghanistan mission director at USAID, disputed the State Department's characterization of the cuts. He called the explanation 'smear tactics.' Fine acknowledged that earlier audits found the university struggled to comply with USAID rules. However, he said those audits did not find major fraud. He described the university as a worthy investment because it remains one of the few organizations still reaching Afghan women.

The university began operations in 2006. Former US first lady Laura Bush announced the initial American commitment. She said the institution would train future leaders, particularly women. Fine said the Bush administration saw the project as a way to stabilize a young democracy and build goodwill for the interim government that replaced the Taliban.

Since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, the university has operated under increased pressure. The Taliban banned women's education in December 2022. The group has since seized the physical campus. Students now study in secret through an online program. They join lectures from home, often using aliases and keeping their cameras off to hide their identity.

Laila, a student in her mid-twenties studying political science and international studies, learned of the funding cut via email. Her name was changed for safety. She said the news crushed her motivation. She has barely left her room since receiving the message. She had expected to graduate years ago and begin a master's degree abroad. Now she estimates she may not finish for another five to ten years.

Fear influences the daily lives of AUAF students. Some peers have received threatening calls and messages. Laila worries that Taliban authorities might search her phone and find university emails. She said officials have entered her home several times to search family belongings. She told DW, 'It's always in the back of my head that maybe tomorrow it's my turn.'

The State Department said the university is free to identify other funders and partners. Ending American taxpayer money does not automatically end the university's operations. However, the refusal of the $25 million grant creates significant uncertainty for the institution. The university remains one of the last places where women in Afghanistan can pursue a degree.