Canadian aid agencies have canceled two food containers destined for Afghanistan because of laws banning trade with the Taliban.
World Vision says it has been forced to cancel a mass shipment of “therapeutic food” it said could have fed about 1,800 children.
In 2013, Canada passed a law designating the Taliban a terrorist organization and imposing up to 10 years in prison for Canadians who directly or indirectly provide property or funds to the Taliban.
Aid agencies operating in Afghanistan cannot help anyone who may be in official dealings with the current Afghan government, including those paying rent or taxes, so the law in its current form are interfering with their work.
A spokesman for International Development Minister Harjit Sajan said he was working with the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Justice to consider “necessary changes” to the law to help the Afghan people.
However, he has previously stressed that the government has no plans to remove the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations.
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