Business
Azizi says efforts ongoing to find alternative trade routes
Minister of Commerce and Industry Nooruddin Azizi said at a meeting that the ministry is trying to find additional routes to boost trade for the private sector.
As a landlocked country, Afghanistan has regularly faced challenges regarding trade, especially in the transfer of goods over land.
Now, however, the Islamic Emirate is trying to find alternative ways of doing business, so a meeting was convened by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry said in this meeting that the search for an alternative way for the country's trade is not blocking other roads and ports, but the Islamic Emirate is trying to create facilities for the private sector.
Abdulsalam Jawad Akhundzada, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, says that: "The leadership of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has been obliged to work with the respected members of the Tariff Committee to find an alternative way for the country's trade. In this meeting, Mr. Azizi emphasized on bringing ease to the growth of the industry. And the prosperity of the country's trade, he said, "Looking for an alternative way for Afghanistan's trade is not blocking other roads and ports, but we are trying to bring more convenience to the private sector."
In this meeting, the Tariff Committee has introduced its special and technical representative for better and effective use of Chabahar port as one of the alternative ways for the country's trade.
Abdul Nasir Rashtiya, a member of the Chamber of Industries and Mines, says: "Since Afghanistan is dependent on one route and problems arise from time to time, I think the best alternative route is Chabahar and Abbas ports, which are both closer in terms of area and in terms of transportation costs and in general having good economic relations with all neighboring countries can save Afghanistan from being isolated.”
According to experts, whenever alternative ways of business are sought and used, the country's exports increase. He also said Afghan businessmen will have access to global markets.
However, the Director General of Customs of South Khorasan region in Iran has announced that the transit of goods from this region to Afghanistan has tripled. According to the Iranian official’s explanation, 19,936 trucks of goods were transited to Afghanistan through Mahirud Customs last year.
Business
China resumes direct rail trade with Afghanistan
China resumed its direct freight rail services to Afghanistan on Thursday when a train loaded with goods left Nantong city in Jiangsu province.
The train, carrying commercial goods in 55 wagons, is heading for the northern Hairatan border in Balkh province, Yue Xiaoyong, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Special Representative for Afghanistan, said in a post on X.
Nantong is a central hub of the Belt and Road Initiative and is located north of Shanghai.
The resumption of the rail line was marked at a formal ceremony on Thursday with Yue and Bilal Karimi, the Afghan Ambassador to China, in attendance.
This comes after China recently announced plans to lift customs tariffs on Afghan exports to China by the end of this year, further strengthening trade ties between the two nations.
Business
IEA signs contract for construction of cement factory in Jawzjan Province
Turkish 77 Company will invest $163 million in the factory, which will have a daily output of 3,000 tons of cement once completed
The Islamic Emirate on Tuesday signed a multi-million dollar contract with Turkish 77 Company for a new cement factory in the Yatim Taq area of Jawzjan Province in northern Afghanistan.
The contract was signed in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund.
Turkish 77 Company will invest $163 million in the factory, which will have a daily output of 3,000 tons of cement once completed.
Also in attendance on Tuesday were officials from the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum who stated that the contract, which allows the Turkish company to explore, extract, produce cement, and deliver social services, is valid for 30 years.
The establishment of this cement production plant will directly create around 1,200 jobs for local citizens.
In addition to the signing of this contract, the ministry also inked contracts worth $476 million with several domestic and foreign companies for cement projects in Jabal al-Saraj, Kandahar, and Herat.
The IEA has said this is in line with their aim of propelling the country towards self-sufficiency in the cement sector.
Business
China to offer Afghanistan tariff-free trade
Afghanistan could offer a wealth of mineral resources to boost Beijing’s supply chain security
China will offer the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) tariff-free access to its vast construction, energy and consumer sectors, Beijing's envoy to Afghanistan said on Thursday.
Beijing has sought to develop its ties with the IEA since they took control of Afghanistan in 2021, but like all governments has refrained from formally recognising the government.
Although an impoverished country, Afghanistan could offer a wealth of mineral resources to boost Beijing's supply chain security.
Selling Afghanistan's lithium, copper and iron deposits to feed China's enormous battery and construction industries would help the IEA prop up their economy, and provide a much needed revenue stream.
"China will offer Afghanistan zero-tariff treatment for 100% tariff lines," Zhao Xing, Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan, wrote on his official X account late on Thursday.
Afghanistan exported $64 million worth of goods to China last year, according to Chinese customs data, close to 90% of which was shelled pine nuts
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