The Ministry of Commerce and Industry of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan during government accountability program said that worth 1.3 billion U.S. dollars Afghan products were exported in a year from the country.
In a press conference held at the Government Media and Information Center (GMIC), the Commerce and Industry Minister, Nooruddin Azizi, in their accountability program said that Afghanistan has exports reached to 1.364 million dollars to the world’s top 10 countries in last year.
At least 200 meetings were held to meet the obstacles and challenges of the private sector and to support their activities, said Azizi.
He said that his led ministry made efforts that about 87 percent of Afghanistan’s export items to China and 13 other items of the country’s exports to Pakistan have obtained customs exemption.
Afghan carpets products have exported about one million square meters of carpets and rugs to different countries, said minister Azizi.
The officials of this ministry in order to attract investments, and strengthen and expand commercial and transit relations, have made official trips to Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Russia, as well as during their fruitful trips discussed with representatives of the private sector in China, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Malaysia, Russia and other countries in the region and the world, he said.
Azizi, reduction in money transfer restrictions through foreign exchange transfer and facilitating the process of purchasing raw materials, turning Afghanistan into a crossroads of the region, reactivating air corridors to the domestic budget, providing facilities for issuing business visas from regional countries to Afghan businessmen, some the others are achievements made by the Commerce Ministry, Azizi added.
According to Azizi, in the past year, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has been able to distribute new business and investment licenses to more than 6,300 domestic and foreign applicants and to attract investments worth about 127 million USD in the country’s industrial parks. to directly create employment for tens of thousands of people.
During the meeting, Mawlawi Qadratullah Jamal, Deputy Ministry said: Before the rule of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, about 30% of factories were active in the country, but now more than it operates from 70% of factories.
He added that the construction of 9 industrial parks is underway in the country, 12 planned industrial parks and 10 proposed industrial parks are on hand, and with their completion, we will have a total of 45 industrial parks in the country.
It must be said that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce operates in the sectors of industry, commerce, and service provision, adding that the aim of the Ministry is the development of Afghanistan’s economy through increased investment, the expansion of industries, and small and medium enterprises, and the growth of balanced trade in order to create employment and increase the income of the country’s citizens.
Masouda Qarizada
Products worth $1.3 billion exported in a Year, official
