Afghanistan currently transits internet traffic to Central Asia, says MCIT

Afghanistan is currently serving as a transit route for internet traffic between South Asia and Central Asia, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) said, highlighting the country’s growing role in regional digital connectivity.

The ministry said fiber-optic traffic from several South Asian countries is routed through Afghanistan to Central Asian nations via the country’s fiber-optic network.

According to the ministry, nearly $3 billion has been invested in Afghanistan’s fiber-optic and telecommunications sector so far, with expansion efforts continuing.

Officials said Afghanistan offers significant investment opportunities in telecommunications and fiber-optic infrastructure. They added that, alongside expanding domestic communications services, the ministry is working to enhance the country’s capacity to provide transit services for regional countries.

The ministry said Afghanistan is already facilitating the transit of internet traffic from parts of South Asia to Central Asia and stressed that the country’s strategic geographic location positions it as an important digital corridor between the two regions.

“We are currently transiting internet traffic through Afghanistan to South Asian and Central Asian countries,” said Enayatullah Alokozai, spokesperson for the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. “Afghanistan is a suitable geographical corridor for data transmission.”

Economic analysts say Afghanistan has the potential to become a key hub for regional connectivity. They noted that, in addition to serving as a corridor for energy transmission from Central Asia, the country could also facilitate the large-scale transit of fiber-optic connectivity, internet traffic, and commercial goods.

Representatives of the private sector also said Afghanistan has strong potential to attract further investment in telecommunications and fiber-optic infrastructure. They noted that numerous domestic and international companies are active in the sector, creating direct employment opportunities for thousands of Afghans.