Business

Contracts signed to improve services at Afghan airports

Published

6 years ago

October 30, 2020

Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority and Group 42 of the United Arab Emirates signed three contracts in the areas of security services, operation management, ground handling, and aviation systems and technology on Thursday.

The contract was signed by Mohammad Qasim Wafayezada, Head of Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority, and Mansoor Al-Mansoori, Chief Operating Officer of Group 42 of the UAE in the presence of President Ashraf Ghani, the national security advisor Hamdullah Mohib, and Acting Minister of Finance Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal at the Presidential Palace on Thursday afternoon.

The Presidential Palace said in a statement that Ataullah Nasib, Head of Investment Facilitation Unit of Office of the President said UAE’s Group 42 develop and deploy high-impact industry solutions in the sectors of aviation, energy, healthcare, oil and gas, and extractive industry, adding that the company showed willingness and commitment to enter into cooperation with Afghanistan in areas related to civil aviation, mainly for Afghanistan’s four international airports.

Terming the contracts ‘truly strategic, President Ashraf Ghani said, “We celebrated the birth of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) this morning and signed strategic cooperation agreement with the UAE company in the afternoon.”

He added that historical and political relations between Afghanistan and UAE can be named as ‘comprehensive economic partnership’.

President Ghani said, unfortunately, the great potentials at Afghanistan international airports haven’t been utilized. He stressed that the government has entered into cooperation with G42 as the company has great experiences in the fields of security services, ground handling, and aviation systems and technology.

“I am confident that officials, service personnel of airports, clients, and our people will feel the tangible changes upon implementation of these contracts,” Ghani added.

“Our airports are our vital infrastructures so we need to ensure standard service delivery which is essential in terms of operation management and ground handling,” added the president while underlining that export of Afghan products through air corridor should meet those standards.

President Ghani highlighted that Hamid Karzai International Airport has great potentials to turn into a cargo platform.

He added that international airports of Kandahar and Herat can serve as connection points with UAE and Mawlana Jalaluddin Balkhi airport can link Afghanistan to Central Asia, which altogether create a suitable network of airports.

Meanwhile, Mansoor Al-Mansoori stated that the contracts would create more opportunities for cooperation between Afghan and UAE institutions.

He noted that Afghanistan and UAE enjoy historical and friendly ties that have been further consolidated within recent years.

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Afghanistan and Iran discuss boosting trade and investment ties

Both sides agreed to follow up on the issues raised, improve coordination between relevant economic institutions and work towards removing barriers to trade.

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2026

Ariana News

Afghanistan and Iran have held talks on expanding bilateral trade, improving cross-border commerce and creating new investment opportunities for businesses in both countries.

The discussions took place during a meeting between a trade delegation from Afghanistan’s Kandahar province and representatives of the Iran-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce.

The Afghan delegation was led by Kamaluddin Tawhid, Chairman of the Afghanistan-Iran Joint Chamber of Commerce, who met with his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Seyadat, along with members of the chamber’s board of directors. Afghanistan’s Consul General in Mashhad, Noor Mohammad Mutawakkil, also attended.

The talks focused on strengthening economic cooperation, streamlining trade procedures at ports and border crossings, and encouraging joint investment by Afghan and Iranian companies.

Participants also raised several practical obstacles affecting commercial activities, including foreign exchange obligations, visa arrangements for Afghan truck drivers and the movement of Afghan freight vehicles through Iranian territory.

Tawhid highlighted Kandahar’s economic potential and investment opportunities across Afghanistan, urging Iranian businesses to play a greater role in the country’s economy.

He also pointed to investment opportunities identified by Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce, stressing the need for improved facilities for private-sector businesses and closer cooperation between the two countries’ commercial communities.

Both sides agreed to follow up on the issues raised, improve coordination between relevant economic institutions and work towards removing barriers to trade.

The meeting concluded with a commitment to strengthen commercial exchanges and expand trade and investment relations between Afghanistan and Iran.

Business

UK-Afghanistan trade falls 16.7% to £70 million over 12 months

Published

2 days ago

November 7, 2026

Ariana News

Trade in goods and services between the United Kingdom and Afghanistan declined by 16.7 percent to £70 million in the 12 months to the end of June 2026, according to the latest figures published by the UK Department for Business and Trade.

The department’s trade and investment factsheet, released on November 6, shows that bilateral trade fell by £14 million compared with the same period a year earlier.

UK exports to Afghanistan totalled £57 million, down 18.6 percent or £13 million, while imports from Afghanistan stood at £13 million, representing a 7.1 percent decline.

The figures show that goods accounted for £32 million, or 45.7 percent, of total trade, while services made up the remaining £38 million, or 54.3 percent.

UK exports to Afghanistan included beverages, pharmaceutical products, dairy products, road vehicles and industrial machinery.

Vegetables and fruit were the leading Afghan goods exports to the UK, worth £1.7 million. Clothing and textile fabrics were also among the main products exported.

The report ranks Afghanistan as the UK’s 166th-largest trading partner, accounting for less than 0.1 percent of the UK’s total trade during the period.

Business

Afghanistan and Russia discuss expanding trade and investment ties

Both sides highlighted the importance of closer cooperation between the Afghan and Russian private sectors.

Published

5 days ago

November 4, 2026

Ariana News

Afghanistan and Russia have discussed ways to strengthen bilateral trade, expand private-sector cooperation and attract new investment during a meeting in Kabul.

Inayatullah Sediqzi, Deputy Head of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) for Services, met with Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan Dmitry Zhirnov on the sidelines of an event marking Russia’s National Unity Day on Wednesday, November 4.

The event was hosted by the Russian Embassy in Kabul.

According to a statement from the ACCI, discussions focused on boosting economic relations, increasing bilateral trade and creating greater opportunities for businesspeople and investors from both countries.

Both sides highlighted the importance of closer cooperation between the Afghan and Russian private sectors, exploring new areas of economic partnership and establishing stronger direct links between their respective business communities.

The discussions reflect Afghanistan’s continued efforts to expand economic engagement with regional and international partners, with increased trade, private-sector development and foreign investment remaining key priorities.