Kabul holds an international trade fair to support local businesses
On Sunday, July 16, an international trade fair opened in Kabul, which was attended by hundreds of local merchants, representatives of large and small Afghan companies. In addition, industrialists from Iran, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Pakistan and other countries presented their products at the exhibition, TOLOnews reports.
Officials of the Islamic Emirate (as the Taliban call the state) stated that the purpose of this exhibition is to support and promote domestic products.
The leader of the Islamic Emirate, Mavlavi Hibatullah Akhundzade, in an audio message to the exhibition, called on the private sector not to rely on foreign investment and assistance from outside, and businessmen from abroad to come and invest in the country, create companies.
Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar noted that now the country has good opportunities for investment and mining "compared to any other time."
The fair, which features 600 stands, will be held until July 22.
"The latest economic data show that the economy has stabilized, inflation is subsidized, the exchange rate is stable, trade is growing. So congratulations. Of course, all these achievements are still not enough, we must support Afghanistan to cope with huge challenges, including food security, widespread poverty and livelihoods," said Raffaella Lodice, Charge d'affaires of the EU in Afghanistan.
"This exhibition is the first and largest in Afghanistan, and for the first time it offers an opportunity for the presence and exchange of views for domestic, regional and international businessmen, investors and industrialists," said Tawakal Ahmadyar, head of the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Investment.
Recently, following China, Turkey has also begun to show interest in mining in Afghanistan. Turkish businessmen told about their intentions at a meeting with Acting Minister of Mining and Oil Shahabuddin Delavar last week.
Earlier, similar proposals were made by Chinese businessmen. In particular, the Chinese-Afghan joint venture FAMPTC invests $ 350 million in various sectors of the Afghan economy, including electricity generation, construction of a cement plant and healthcare.
The Chinese energy giant CNPC is helping to establish the oil industry in Afghanistan, which will invest $162 million this year and $540 million over three years.
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