Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce Nooruddin Azizi in a meeting with Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), has demanded the revocation of the suspension of Afghanistan’s membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The ministry’s spokesman Abdulsalam Javad Akhundzadeh said that both sides also discussed supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, increasing exports and providing facilities for women entrepreneurs.

IEA’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, however, said that trade and transit are a humanitarian matter and should not be related to political issues.

Mujahid stated that the IEA has increased its efforts to expand economic and trade relations.

“Yes, we want Afghanistan to regain its membership and it is a need. Trade is a humanitarian issue and it should not be tied to political matters,” he added.

According to economic experts, regaining membership in the WTO would be effective in expanding Afghanistan’s trade with various Asian and European countries and others such as the USA, and it will also increase work opportunities.

Afghanistan officially became the 164th member of the WTO in December 2015, but currently does not have a representative in this organization.

WTO is an international organization that regulates global trade rules and settles disputes between members.

The main objective of this organization is to create facilities for the export and import of goods and services between the member countries by removing the barriers of customs tariffs.