Transactions that are generally authorized by GL 20 to the extent authorization is required include:
- Commercial transactions involving Afghanistan, including imports from Afghanistan, exports to Afghanistan, and commercial transactions within or involving the geographical territory of Afghanistan;
- Dealings with all governing ministries and institutions in Afghanistan—including the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Energy and Water, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock, Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of the Interior, and Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations, and the Central Bank of Afghanistan (DAB);
- Dealings with state-owned or -controlled companies and enterprises in Afghanistan, including the electrical utility Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS);
- Payment of taxes, fees, or import duties, or the purchase or receipt of permits, licenses, or public utility services, provided that such payments do not relate to luxury items or services;
- Financial institutions’ processing of transactions to, from, or transiting Afghanistan, including clearing, settlement, and transfers through, to, or otherwise involving privately owned and state-owned Afghan banks;
- Financial and professional services related to economic activity in Afghanistan;
- Activities related to infrastructure maintenance or development in Afghanistan, including water, sanitation, energy, electricity, and public utilities;
- Activities related to the development, maintenance, and operation of civilian transportation in Afghanistan, including safety and maintenance operations for civilian transportation in Afghanistan, including air traffic services, air navigation services, other transactions ordinarily incident and necessary to operations or use of airports, ground and landside operations, and rail or road construction or maintenance;
- Transactions with respect to the receipt and transmission of telecommunications, mail, or parcels involving Afghanistan;
- Importation from and exportation to Afghanistan of any information or informational materials;
- Transactions ordinarily incident to travel to or from Afghanistan;
- Transactions that are also authorized under Afghanistan-related GLs 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 (for more information, see FAQs 928, 929, 930, 931, 949, 951, 953, 954, 957, 958, 959, 960, 961, 962, 963, and 996); and
- Incidental contact with the Taliban or the Haqqani Network or any blocked individual who is currently in a leadership role in a governing institution in Afghanistan in connection with any of the authorized activities outlined above.
Nothing in GL 20 relieves any person from compliance with any other federal laws or requirements of other federal agencies, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) administered by the Department of State and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) administered by the Department of Commerce, or from applicable international obligations.
GL 20 does not authorize financial transfers to the Taliban, the Haqqani Network, any entity in which the Taliban or the Haqqani Network owns, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, a 50 percent or greater interest, or to any blocked individual who is in a leadership role of a governing institution in Afghanistan, other than for the purpose of effecting the payment of taxes, fees, or import duties, or the purchase or receipt of permits, licenses, or public utility services or financial transfers, provided that such payments do not relate to luxury items or services. GL 20 also does not authorize transfers of luxury items or services to the Taliban, the Haqqani Network, any entity in which the Taliban or the Haqqani Network owns, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, a 50 percent or greater interest, or any blocked individual who is in a leadership role of a governing institution in Afghanistan.