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Afghanistan-made sport car ‘back in business’
The designer of Afghanistan’s “Helmet” sports car said on Tuesday that after posting his message on social media last week about suspending work on the vehicle, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) stepped forward to help resolve their problems.
Mohammad Reza Ahmadi, the creator of the sports car, said in a new video message that there had been a “misunderstanding” and that the company’s problems had been resolved.
As such, work on the car is expected to resume soon, he said. Last week Ahmadi said the company had been forced to suspend work due to a lack of financing and growing debt.
“After that video that we published, due to the large debt, the government quickly took action and provided us with a dedicated place, means of transportation, and operating budget so that we can continue our work. Also, coordination was made with the relevant ministries,” Mohammad Reza Ahmadi said in the new video on social media.
In this video, he said there had been a “misunderstanding”due to the “bureaucratic system”.
“I think that the misunderstanding was created from paper [bureaucratic system]. For a while we were victims of paper. However, the bureaucratic system cannot be, nor is it possible for it not to be, the issue is a bit complicated but fortunately paper was removed from our work process,” Ahmadi added.
He also said that work will resume on the car and hopefully between now and Eid al-Adha they will be able to showcase the sports car around the country.
He still expressed hope however that investors will step forward to help.
The sports car made in Afghanistan was exhibited three months ago and was noticed inside and outside of Afghanistan after being on display on the roads of Kabul a few months ago.
This sports car was built by a company called NTOP, and according to officials, it took five years to build at a cost of $60,000.
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UNDP, UN Women launch financing initiative for Afghan women entrepreneurs
UN Women Special Representative Susan Ferguson said expanding women’s access to finance was critical to enabling women-led businesses to grow.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Women have launched a joint initiative to expand access to finance and business support for Afghan women entrepreneurs.
The Afghanistan Women’s Fund for Resilient Enterprises (AWFRE) will provide Sharia-compliant, collateral-free financing alongside financial and digital literacy training, mentoring, business planning and support to access markets.
An initial joint investment of $1.7 million will support about 1,500 women entrepreneurs over the next year, indirectly benefiting more than 14,000 people through stronger businesses, household incomes and economic activity.
The initiative comes amid a significant financing gap for Afghan women entrepreneurs. Fewer than 7% of women in Afghanistan have a bank account or use mobile money services, leaving many women-led businesses dependent on personal savings, loans from family and friends, or the sale of personal assets.
More Afghan women are turning to entrepreneurship to earn income and support their families. More than 10,000 Afghan women now hold business licences, around ten times the number five years ago, while the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce estimates another 120,000 are trading without licences.
“The challenge for Afghan women entrepreneurs is not a lack of enterprise, but limited access to the finance, skills and networks they need to grow,” said Turhan Saleh, UNDP Resident Representative in Afghanistan.
UN Women Special Representative Susan Ferguson said expanding women’s access to finance was critical to enabling women-led businesses to grow.
“Afghan women are finding ways to build businesses, despite the many obstacles they face,” Ferguson said. “Expanding access to finance can help women entrepreneurs turn their ideas and skills into stronger businesses, more jobs and greater economic security for their families and communities.”
UNDP and UN Women are seeking an additional $10 million to expand the programme, which would allow another 10,000 women entrepreneurs to access financing and business support and indirectly benefit an estimated 70,000 people.
The initiative aims to help women entrepreneurs expand their businesses, access new markets and develop more sustainable sources of income.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
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