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World Bank says donors approve transfer of $280 million dollars to help Afghanistan

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(Last Updated On: December 14, 2021)

The World Bank on Friday confirmed that donors have approved the transfer of 280 million U.S. dollars to UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP) from the World Bank-administered Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), Reuters reported.

The aid aims to help Afghanistan respond to its humanitarian crisis, while bypassing the government formed by the Islamic Emirate or Afghanistan [IEA].

The IEA says the international community has not been realistic and must avoid mistakes of the past, Reuters reported.

The Islamic government is independent, responsible, committed to its pledges, Inamullah Samangani, deputy government spokesman said in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN).

It’s a golden opportunity for the international community, particularly the powerful countries of the world, to interact with today’s Afghanistan and open a new chapter of relations that could benefit both Afghanistan and the international community, he said.

Soon after the IEA took power on August 15, the U.S. blocked access to 9.5 billion dollars in Afghanistan’s central bank reserves held in the U.S.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) paused the release of more than 400 million dollars in funds, citing “a lack of clarity within the international community regarding recognition of a government in Afghanistan.”

According to the report the World Bank also stopped disbursing aid money reserved for the country.

“We request the international community to put pressure on the US to unfreeze our money. This money belongs to the people,” said Mohamad Mangal, a Kabul resident.

“As a human being, I urge the international community to assist people of Afghanistan, based on the values of humanity,” said Sher Agha, another resident.

According to the Reuters Afghan experts welcome the aid but insist that it is not enough to help millions of people in need.

“As much as this money is helpful, it’s not enough unless the international community engages with the Taliban [IEA], we find a working relationship, and the federal reserves of Afghanistan can be released. This is never going to be enough,” said Obaidullah Baheer, a civil society activist.

“Economic development is not possible without money. So it is my request the world community, World Bank, IMF and US government and European Union to come forward and help Afghanistan to ease the economic crisis,” said Alam Khan Hamdard, an economic expert.

Many experts believe that this winter will be the harshest of all times for millions of Afghans, Reuters reported.

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Five countries eager to invest in lithium mines in Nuristan: officials

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(Last Updated On: March 24, 2023)

The Islamic Emirate officials say five countries are interested in investing in the “lithium” mining sector in Afghanistan’s Nuristan province.

Mohammad Yunus Rashid, the deputy of youth in the Ministry of Information and Culture, said that Japan, the US, China, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are among the countries that are interested in investing in the mining sector of lithium mines in Nuristan province.

“There is a lot of interest in lithium mining at the global level, five countries have made contact with the Islamic Emirate and said that they are ready to invest in this sector,” said Rashid.

According to officials, there are high capacities for economic self-sufficiency in the country and positive changes will be made in the economic development of the country in the near future.

Economic experts meanwhile believe that if the extraction and processing of the country’s minerals are done in Afghanistan, the country can get out of the economic crisis very quickly.

“There are trillions of dollars of capacity in Afghanistan’s mines, which should be invested, the statistics should be accurate, the regions should be determined, in which areas we have what kind of mines,” said Kamaluddin Kakar, an economic expert.

In addition, members of the private sector say they are trying to invest jointly and individually with foreign investors in the mining sector. They call on the Islamic Emirate to hand over mining contracts to companies that have the ability to process in the country.

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Customs duties on essential food items drops by up to 70%

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(Last Updated On: March 20, 2023)

The Ministry of Finance said that based on the decision of the leadership of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, customs duties on basic food items have dropped by between 50 and 70 percent in the last solar year.

As a result of this decision customs duties have been reduced to the value of 6.7 million afghanis this year, the ministry said.

The decision to decrease customs duties on the food items that include flour, wheat, cooking oil, rice, and sugar, was to keep the prices down on local markets.

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Kunduz commerce department’s revenues rise by 48%

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(Last Updated On: March 19, 2023)

Kunduz Directorate of Industry and Commerce officials say their revenues have increased by 48 percent this solar year.

According to officials, the institution has collected more than 12 million Afghanis from the extension and distribution of licenses to manufacturing companies.

Mohammad Rahim Sirat, head of Kunduz Directorate of Industry and Commerce, said they distributed licenses to 112 people and renewed the licenses for 303 people.

Meanwhile, Kunduz Municipality officials also announced that they have collected 120 million Afghanis in 11 months of the current solar year, which shows a 40 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Tajuddin Sohak, the spokesman for Kunduz Municipality, said they collected 120 million Afghanis this year, which shows a 40 percent increase from 86 million afghanis last year.

But shopkeepers and owners of manufacturing companies in Kunduz complain about the lack of a market for their products. They say that in the past their goods used to be exported abroad, but now exports have declined.

“In the past, we used to export to Iran, Pakistan, and Iraq, but our exports have decreased compared to the past. We ask the government to cooperate with us to provide the basis for export,” Wasim Akram, an entrepreneur, said.

Local officials in Kunduz say they have always tried to facilitate trade. They express hope that in the new year their efforts for foreign marketing of manufacturing companies will produce good results.

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