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IEA signs Amu River basin oil extraction contract with Chinese company

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(Last Updated On: January 5, 2023)

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) officials signed a contract on Thursday with China’s CAPEIC (Xinjiang Central Asia Petroleum and Gas Co) Company for the extraction of oil in the Amu River basin, which covers a large area across parts of three northern provinces.

The signing ceremony was held at the Government Information and Media Center (GMIC) in Kabul, in the presence of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, the Economic Deputy of the Prime Minister, and China’s ambassador to Kabul.

Speaking at the event, Sheikh Shahabuddin Delawar, the Minister of Mines and Petroleum, said: “According to the order of the Supreme Leader and the guidance of the Prime Minister and the Economic Deputy of the Ministry, today we will sign an oil extraction contract with a Chinese company.”

The ministry said oil will be extracted from an area covering 4,500 square kilometers across parts of Sar-e-Pul, Jawzjan and Faryab provinces.

Delawar said the rate of oil extraction will be from 1,000 to 23,000 tons per day and the company will invest up to $150 million dollars a year, which will increase to $540 million dollars in three years.

According to the contract, the Islamic Emirate will own a 20 percent share in the oil fields, but that in time this percentage will increase to 75 percent.

Delawar also said that 3,000 jobs will be created for Afghans. However, if skilled labor is not available in Afghanistan, then China will be able to import workers, he added.

He also said that it was agreed that if the Chinese company does not fulfill all its requirements within a year, the contract will automatically be canceled.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund also spoke at the event and said that in the past year, work has been done to promote development in the country.

“Recently, several projects were approved by the Economic Commission, and with their implementation, fundamental steps will be taken regarding the prosperity of the country and public welfare,” Baradar said.

He said the signing of Thursday’s contract was an important step towards the country obtaining self-sufficiency. He also called on the Chinese company to work in accordance with international standards and to provide local people with public benefits.

Baradar also told the ministry of mines to closely monitor developments at the oil field so as to ensure the Chinese company fulfills its obligations.

China’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu meanwhile said: “This contract is important for the economic growth and self-sufficiency of Afghanistan and is a good example of cooperation and interaction between the two countries.”

Wang asked the contracting company to carefully perform the assigned tasks according to the provisions of the contract and also asked the ministry to provide the framework for the effective implementation of the contract and to work closely with the contracting company.

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Ministry of commerce allocates land for oil refineries

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(Last Updated On: March 14, 2024)

Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce Nooruddin Azizi, said in a meeting with oil refinery officials that as soon as they are ready to invest, the ministry will establish an oil and gas industrial park.

In this meeting, refinery officials discussed problems regarding the Qashqari oil field and agreed that land should be provided. They said oil extracted from Qashqari needed to be refined through the standard process.

Azizi, while announcing the cooperation and support of the Islamic Emirate and especially the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for the private sector of the country, said: “A joint proposal should be arranged and submitted to this ministry for the land of the refineries, and also if the officials of the refineries are ready to invest in the area of Dara-e-Hairatan, an oil and gas industrial park will be created and the land will be placed under their control.”

Azizi emphasized the need to increase the capacity of existing refineries and the quality of oil, shared the decision of the High Economic Commission regarding the establishment of a large refinery.

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Pakistan’s Federal Secretary of Commerce invited to visit Kabul

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(Last Updated On: March 11, 2024)

Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, has invited Pakistan’s Federal Secretary of Commerce Mohammad Khurram Agha to visit Kabul.

In a virtual meeting, the two sides discussed the progress made in the last two and a half years in the country, the increase in trade between the two countries, solving problems and removing trade and transit barriers.

They also discussed the need for more facilities, establishing close relations between the governments and private sectors of the two countries and boosting regional cooperation, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce said in a statement Monday.

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Headline inflation in Afghanistan down to -10.2% in January: World Bank

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(Last Updated On: March 11, 2024)

In January 2024, headline inflation experienced a significant downturn, reaching -10.2 percent on a year-on-year basis, the World Bank said in a report.

This substantial drop was largely due to a sharp decline in prices across both food and non-food categories, the report said.

Moreover, core inflation, which strips out the typically volatile food and energy sectors, also fell into negative territory, posting a rate of -6.5 percent on year-on-year basis.

“This ongoing core deflation reflects a troubling inability of both private and public sectors to stimulate sufficient demand. While this period of falling prices may offer temporary financial relief to the most vulnerable households by reducing the cost of living, it can also harm the broader macroeconomy,” the World Bank said.

According to the bank, Afghanistan’s exports contracted by 5 percent on year-on-year basis to $140.5 million in January 2024, down from $148.1 million the previous January.

Food exports to India jumped by 22 percent, compared to an 18 percent decline in Pakistan. Pakistan and India continued to be the top export destinations, claiming 45 percent and 34 percent of the total exports in January 2024, respectively.

The 2023 growth trend in imports extended into January 2024, hitting $830 million, up 37 percent from $600 million in January 2023.

According to the report, in 2023, the afghani (AFN) saw a significant 27 percent appreciation against the US dollar, buoyed by the influx of around $1.8 billion in UN cash shipments and an estimated $2 billion in remittances.

Revenues have been below the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) target during the first eleven months of FY2024, with border taxes underperforming despite a surge in imports.

Over the eleven-month span of FY2024, from March 22, 2023, to February 21, 2024, Afghanistan’s revenue collection reached AFN 189 billion, narrowly missing the target by 2 percent but marking a 5.6 percent increase from the previous fiscal year, the report said.

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