Business

Afghanistan’s Railways Authority reviewing operating contracts

Published

2 years ago

April 10, 2022

(Last Updated On: April 10, 2022)

Afghanistan Railways Authority (ARA) officials have said that operating contracts with neighboring countries for Afghanistan’s railway stations were formalized without taking the country’s best interests into consideration.

According to officials, tens of millions of dollars has been paid annually to companies from neighboring countries to run the stations.

ARA’s new leadership is now however working on a plan to outsource the operation of railway stations to Afghan companies so that it can benefit the Afghan national economy directly.

Bakht-u-Rehman Sharafat, director of ARA, said an Uzbekistan company has the contract to operate the port of Hairatan at a cost of $18 million a year. However, local companies are prepared to do the same work for much less, he said.

“The port of Hairatan, through which we carry most of our shipments, has been contracted by an Uzbek company for $18 million a year, while Afghan companies will do this for less than 25 percent of this amount,” said Sharafat.

Afghanistan’s private sector has also called on the country’s railway authority to increase trade capacity at its ports.

Members of the private sector said the local economy will improve if railway services expand.

“If we can do our export by rail, it will be cheaper for us and with that we will be able to expand our exports and lower our prices,” said Abdul Jabar Safi, the director of the Afghanistan Industries Association.

Related Topics:#Infrastructure featured Railway

Up Next

IEA calls for investors, says visas for foreigners will recommence

Don't Miss

World Bank says Afghanistan private sector adversely affected due to economic crisis

Business

Afghanistan’s imports and exports totaled $10.3 billion last year

Published

16 hours ago

May 15, 2024

Ariana News

(Last Updated On: May 15, 2024)

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.

Business

Acting commerce minister heads to Russia to attend Kazan Forum

Published

1 day ago

May 14, 2024

Ariana News

(Last Updated On: May 14, 2024)

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.

Business

Afghanistan can become important industrial center in region: Hanafi

Published

3 days ago

May 13, 2024

Ariana News

(Last Updated On: May 13, 2024)

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.