President Joe Biden in a letter to Congress on Wednesday said that he will officially rescind Afghanistan’s designation as a major non‑NATO ally, writes CNN.

In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the President wrote: “In accordance with section 517 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (22 U.S.C. 2321k), I am providing notice of my intent to rescind the designation of Afghanistan as a Major Non‑NATO Ally”.

In 2012, the United States named Afghanistan a major non-NATO ally, which cleared the way for the two countries to maintain a defense and economic relationship. Then-US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the designation during a visit to Kabul.