Business

World Bank approves $85 million in grants for Afghanistan

Published

3 years ago

December 12, 2020

(Last Updated On: December 12, 2020)

The World Bank has approved two grants totaling almost $85 million from the International Development Association (IDA), as part of a $393 million financial package to help Afghanistan overcome the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and improve access to clean water, sanitation, and public services.

In a statement issued on Friday, the IDA said COVID-19 has had a severe impact on Afghanistan both socially and economically.

“As they face the pandemic and ongoing conflict, many poor and vulnerable Afghan households subsist on daily earnings, have little or no access to water, sanitation, or healthcare,” the statement read.

In line with this, the IDA has granted $85 million as part of two financial packages, which include additional support from the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), a multi-donor fund managed by the World Bank on behalf of 34 donors.

The IDA stated the financial packages are made up of $50 million from the association for the Afghanistan Water, Sanitation, Hygiene, and Institutional Support (A-WASH) Project.

The grant will total $200 million, including $150 million from the ARTF and the project will improve access to and quality of water supply in Kabul, Kandahar, and Herat and strengthen the capacity of Afghanistan Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Corporation (AUWSSC) to deliver sustainable services and contribute to national efforts to manage COVID-19 and other disasters.

For the Second Additional Financing of the Citizens’ Charter Afghanistan Project (CCAP), the IDA has given $35 million. This grant will total $193 million, including $158 million from the ARTF.

The project aims to improve the delivery of core infrastructure, emergency support, and social services to communities through strengthened Community Development Councils (CDCs).

Through this added financing, the Citizens’ Charter Project will expand its service delivery to 10 new cities across Afghanistan, continue to respond to the COVID-19 crisis among communities, provide critical assistance to Kuchi communities, increase employment through public works, initiate peace projects in rural and urban areas, and continue to strengthen gender equality.

“Access to clean water, hygiene, and basic services is essential to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases, including COVID-19,” said Henry Kerali, World Bank Country Director for Afghanistan.

“The new grant under the A-WASH project will address the core health and water needs of Afghan communities. The additional grant for the Citizens’ Charter Afghanistan Project will build on the tremendous results in delivering services to communities recent years and expand access for more Afghans,” he said.

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Acting commerce minister heads to Russia to attend Kazan Forum

Published

11 hours ago

May 14, 2024

Ariana News

(Last Updated On: May 14, 2024)

Nooruddin Azizi, Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce, headed to Russia to participate in an international economic meeting in Kazan, Tatarstan.

The aim of the Russia-Islamic World: KazanForum 2024, the 15th edition of the forum, is to offer a platform for leading international economic and financial specialists from the Islamic world to strengthen ties between the countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the regions of the Russian Federation in the economic, educational, social and cultural spheres, Anadolu Agency reported.

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce said that Azizi, leading a high-level delegation of the Islamic Emriate, traveled to Tatarstan at the invitation of Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov.

The forum is held between May 14 and 19.

The forum also aims to promote the development of Islamic financial institutions in Russia and worldwide, with a focus on joint international projects and programs, according to Anadolu Agency.

More than 80 nations are expected to participate in the event, including representatives of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Malaysia, Türkiye, Iran, Libya, and other OIC member states.

Business

Afghanistan can become important industrial center in region: Hanafi

Published

2 days ago

May 13, 2024

Ariana News

(Last Updated On: May 13, 2024)

Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Abdul Salam Hanafi says Afghanistan has the potential to become one of the most important industrial centers in the region.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the national and international expo on the occasion of Industry Week, Hanafi said that the growth of industry lays the foundation for the growth of other economic sectors and that the Islamic Emirate fully supports domestic production in the country.

“Afghanistan has important and rich factors for industrial production, which can become one of the important industrial centers in the region. The growth of industry will be the basis for the growth of other economic sectors, especially agriculture,” said Hanafi.

Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, added that the IEA has programs in the fields of industry development and support for the private sector that will make Afghanistan self-sufficient.

Azizi stated that Afghanistan’s industrial sector is currently progressing and the quality of export goods has also improved.

Some investors said at the ceremony that after the return of the IEA, the country’s exports have increased and the number of manufacturing companies has also increased.

This expo is open to visitors for seven days, and industrial products are showcased in 450 booths.
Women in business also attended the meeting.

Business

Afghanistan, Pakistan agree on new travel mechanism for truckers

Published

3 days ago

May 12, 2024

Ariana News

(Last Updated On: May 12, 2024)

Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed on the issuance of a temporary admission document for transporters of commercial goods, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Transport and Aviation announced on Sunday.

The ministry said in an announcement that truck drivers and their assistants carrying commercial goods from Afghanistan and Pakistan must have this document with them at the crossings.

Based on the announcement, the document will be issued to Afghans at the Pakistani embassy in Kabul and its consulate in Kandahar.

For Pakistanis, the document is distributed at the office of the Afghanistan transport attaché in Peshawar and Quetta.

The Ministry of Transportation and Aviation asked owners and drivers of trucks to submit the required documents to their respective transportation companies by June 1.

The ministry warned that after June 1, trucks cannot travel between the two countries without having the temporary admission document.