Business
Afghanistan to Use India’s 1 Billion Aid for Infrastructure Sectors
Afghanistan will use India’s 1 billion economic aid for infrastructure sector that can be a production country, President’s spokesman said.
Haroon Chakhansori, President’s spokesman said, India’s aid to Afghanistan will be used in regular programs that a continued employment field provides for the people.
“A large part of this aid will be used for infrastructure sectors which includes; Health, agriculture, education, capacity building and construction of small and medium power dams,” said Haroon Chakhansori, President’s spokesman.
India offered $1 billion in economic aid to Afghanistan, the latest sign of tightening ties between the two countries.
Indian Prime Minister, Modi pledged the aid to Afghanistan after a meeting with Ghani, vowing to pledge India’s “abiding support for a unified, sovereign, democratic, peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan.
Afghan finance ministry has also said that the ministry prepared a proper scheme for spending this aid.
“The aid will be used in a regular program that can have a direct effect on people’s economy,” said Ajmal Hamid Abdul Rahim Zai, Spokesman of finance ministry.
In the meantime, a number of National Assembly members stressed that using the foreign aids should have a transparent process.
“India is one of the honest friends of Afghanistan. The government should perfectly use this opportunity and use the aid in important sectors,” said Reyhana Azad, member of parliament.
India’s renewed support for Afghanistan will be especially crucial in the current context given the ongoing intensification of the Taliban’s offensive across the country.
Campaigns in Helmand and Uruzgan provinces have particularly intensified in recent weeks, leading to growing concerns in Afghanistan that the government could continue to cede territory to the extremist group that ruled the country before the U.S. invasion some fifteen years ago.
Both Modi and Ghani, in a statement issued after their meeting, additionally expressed concern ” at continued use of terrorism and violence in the region for achieving political objectives,” an implicit reference to Pakistan’s military and intelligence services.
According to Voice of America, Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar clarified that Ghani and Modi spent considerable time discussing approaches to countering terrorism in the region.
The National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA) said on Wednesday that last year, the value of exports totaled $1.79 billion while imports totaled $8.57 billion.
According to NSIA, fruits accounted for the largest share of export items last year, totaling over $645 million.
Medicinal plants, minerals and vegetables were the next top three items respectively to be exported.
Meanwhile, petroleum and oil accounted for the largest portion of imported goods, totaling over $1.37 billion.
Another large portion of the total amount imported went to machinery, vehicles and parts. This totaled over $1.15 billion, followed by textiles, metals and metal products.
Nooruddin Azizi, Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce, headed to Russia to participate in an international economic meeting in Kazan, Tatarstan.
The aim of the Russia-Islamic World: KazanForum 2024, the 15th edition of the forum, is to offer a platform for leading international economic and financial specialists from the Islamic world to strengthen ties between the countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the regions of the Russian Federation in the economic, educational, social and cultural spheres, Anadolu Agency reported.
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce said that Azizi, leading a high-level delegation of the Islamic Emriate, traveled to Tatarstan at the invitation of Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov.
The forum is held between May 14 and 19.
The forum also aims to promote the development of Islamic financial institutions in Russia and worldwide, with a focus on joint international projects and programs, according to Anadolu Agency.
More than 80 nations are expected to participate in the event, including representatives of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Malaysia, Türkiye, Iran, Libya, and other OIC member states.
Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Abdul Salam Hanafi says Afghanistan has the potential to become one of the most important industrial centers in the region.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the national and international expo on the occasion of Industry Week, Hanafi said that the growth of industry lays the foundation for the growth of other economic sectors and that the Islamic Emirate fully supports domestic production in the country.
“Afghanistan has important and rich factors for industrial production, which can become one of the important industrial centers in the region. The growth of industry will be the basis for the growth of other economic sectors, especially agriculture,” said Hanafi.
Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, added that the IEA has programs in the fields of industry development and support for the private sector that will make Afghanistan self-sufficient.
Azizi stated that Afghanistan’s industrial sector is currently progressing and the quality of export goods has also improved.
Some investors said at the ceremony that after the return of the IEA, the country’s exports have increased and the number of manufacturing companies has also increased.
This expo is open to visitors for seven days, and industrial products are showcased in 450 booths.
Women in business also attended the meeting.
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