US President Joe Biden has terminated the designation of Afghanistan as a major non-NATO ally, more than a year after the Taliban captured power in Kabul. 

Major non-NATO ally

• Major non-NATO ally (MNNA) status is a designation under the US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defence trade and security cooperation. 

• The MNNA designation is a powerful symbol of the close relationship the United States shares with those countries and demonstrates our deep respect for the friendship for the countries to which it is extended. 

• While MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments to the designated country.

• The MNNA status was first created in 1987. 

Privileges resulting from MNNA designation:

• Eligible for loans of material, supplies, or equipment for cooperative research, development, testing, or evaluation purposes.

• Eligible as a location for US-owned War Reserve Stockpiles to be placed on its territory outside of US military facilities.

• Can enter into agreements with the United States for the cooperative furnishing of training on a bilateral or multilateral basis, if the financial arrangements are reciprocal and provide for reimbursement of all US direct costs.

• Eligible, to the maximum extent feasible, for priority delivery of Excess Defence Articles  transferred under section 516 of the Foreign Assistance Act (if located on the southern or south-eastern flank of NATO).

• Eligible for consideration to purchase depleted uranium ammunition.

• Eligible to enter into an MoU or other formal agreement with the US Department of Defence for the purpose of conducting cooperative research and development projects on defense equipment and munitions.

• Allows firms of a MNNA, as with NATO countries, to bid on contracts for maintenance, repair or overhaul of US Department of Defence equipment outside the United States.

• Allows funding to procure explosives detection devices and other counter-terrorism research and development projects under the auspices of the Department of State’s Technical Support Working Group .

Countries designated as MNNAs 

• With Afghanistan’s status rescinded, the US will have 18 major non-NATO allies. 

• They are Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, South Korea, Thailand and Tunisia.

• Taiwan is treated as an MNNA, without formal designation as such.

• Earlier this month, Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna tabled a resolution in the House of Representatives to designate India as a major non-NATO ally.

Change in Afghanistan’s status

• In 2012, the United States named Afghanistan a major non-NATO (MNNA) ally, which cleared the way for the two countries to maintain a defence and economic relationship.

• The designation gave several facilities and concessions to Afghanistan in terms of defence and security-related assistance and equipment.

• The change in Afghanistan’s status follows Biden’s withdrawal of US troops from the country last year, ending nearly 20 years of war.

Manorama Yearbook app is now available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store