Business
COVID19 spending transparency; information should be made public
If the government spending and resources to fight the Coronavirus in different provinces are not made transparent, it could lead to an unmanageable disaster.
The Commission of Inquiry warns that if the government and the relevant administrations conceal COVID-19 spending reports, it indicates corruption.
In the meantime, journalists say that the information provided to the media by the government, especially the Committee for Combating the Outbreak of the Coronavirus, is not sufficient, which raises doubts amongst public.
A budget of AFN 6.7 billion have been allocated by the government to combat the Coronavirus outbreak in the capital and provinces of Afghanistan.
The Commission on the Right of Access to Information states that at this critical time, there must be accountability from the relevant offices, and in the provinces, information the assistance and expenditures provided by the government agencies must be made available to the public in written.
The commission wants the government, including governors and aid agencies, to be accountable to civil society and the media, if needed.
The Ministry of Public Health says that every institution is obliged to have a clear account of the expenditures on foreign aid and the government’s budget in the fight against COVID-19.
The Health Ministry’s Spokesperson indicates that corruption in the institutions responsible for fighting against the virus is a betrayal to the nation and the country.
Some reporters say that the government’s information, especially the Anti-Coronavirus Committee, is not sufficient to reassure the public, as only the head of the organization has made a multi-page report public on the committee’s spending in a matter of months.
The Coronavirus Committee, led by Waheed Omer, an adviser to the president, was established nearly a month ago. In total, it has spent money on media coverage of the Coronavirus awareness, and the Ministry of Health has spent US$15 million so far to fight the disease.
Business
More trade contracts signed between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan
Uzbekistan has agreed to sign export contracts worth $44 million with Afghanistan, according to a report by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan.
The contracts were signed during a three-day visit to Tashkent by a delegation of Afghan businessmen.
The two nations are also planning to form an Uzbekistan-Afghanistan Business Council, which will have 18 Afghan companies among its members.
Afghanistan’s import market is worth $7 billion. The goods that are most in demand with Afghan importers are agricultural products, processed food, textiles, leather, electrical components and construction materials.
Business
Turkmenistan makes ‘significant progress’ on TAPI pipeline project
Turkmenistan has made “significant progress” on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, said TAPI Pipeline Company Limited CEO Muhammetmyrat Amanov.
“Turkmenistan is making significant progress on the TAPI natural gas pipeline, which will supply 33 billion cubic meters to South Asia annually,” he said.
Speaking at the Turkmen Energy Investment Forum (TEIF 2024) currently being held in Paris, Amanov highlighted that Turkmenistan’s section of the pipeline had been completed and ongoing discussions to advance the project beyond Turkmenistan were in strict alignment with the international standards.
He said the project envisaged environmental sustainability by leveraging natural gas to reduce emissions significantly compared to coal and oil, thereby tackling indoor pollution and enhancing regional air quality.
“In light of the ongoing project developments, Turkmenistan remains committed to upholding the international law, fulfilling its obligations and adhering to international norms and regulations,” he said.
This approach reaffirms Turkmenistan’s dedication to global cooperation and legal integrity in executing the TAPI project.
Looking ahead, the project’s focus is shifting to the Herat Offtake Strategy in Afghanistan, which will play a critical role in environmental protection by reducing air pollution, while also contributing to maintaining public safety, he said.
Business
Azizi calls on Malaysian investors to invest in Afghanistan
Nooruddin Azizi, Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry, met with representatives from the ministries of foreign affairs, defense and interior of Malaysia, along with other senior officials, on Wednesday and called on Malaysians to invest in Afghanistan.
The visiting delegation is being led by senior diplomat Dr. Shazelina Zainul Abidin.
According to the IEA’s foreign ministry, the two sides discussed bilateral trade, holding a business communication conference to strengthen trade relations between the two countries, the trade balance between Afghanistan and Malaysia, and creating a market for Afghan products, including carpets, cotton, and minerals.
According to the ministry, at the end of the meeting, the Acting Minister emphasized the increase of investment from regional countries in Afghanistan and called on Malaysian investors to also invest in Afghanistan.
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