INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) will encourage self-sufficiency and wants international trade and investment, the commerce minister
said, as Afghanistan faces isolation and suspension of some humanitarian operations over restrictions on women, Reuters reported.&We will
start a national self-sufficiency programme, we will encourage all government administrations to use domestic products, we will also try to
encourage people through mosques to support our domestic products& Nooruddin Azizi told Reuters
&We will support any item which can help us for self-sufficiency.&Another part of their strategy was to boost trade and foreign investment,
he said.&Those who were importing items to Afghanistan from abroad, they are asking us to provide opportunities for investing in Afghanistan
and they want to invest here instead of importing from abroad,& Azizi said.He said that countries including Iran, Russia and China were
interested in trade and investment
He said some of the projects under discussion were Chinese industrial parks and thermal power plants, with involvement from Russia and
Iran.Already facing a lack of formal recognition and sanctions hampering the country&s banking sector, investors are faced with growing
security concerns, Reuters reported.Azizi said authorities were working to ensure security.&We do our best for our businessmen to not come
The attack hasn&t had any bad impact, (but) if it happened constantly, yes it might have bad impact,& he said, referring to the investment
environment.Azizi laid out a plan to develop industry by creating special economic zones on land previously used for U.S
He said his ministry was presenting the plan to the administration&s cabinet and economic commission, Reuters reported.He added that foreign
investors were showing interest in Afghanistan&s mining sector, which has been valued at more than $1 trillion
He said that an iron mine in western Herat and a lead mine in central Ghor province had seen 40 companies take part in an auction and that
the results would be announced soon.He said that a major contract signed with Russia in September for the supply of gas, oil and wheat would
see the delivery of the items to Afghanistan in coming days.The IEA is facing increased isolation over policies in recent days restricting
women from access to public life, including attending university.An order barring female NGO workers has thrown the humanitarian sector,
which is providing urgent aid to millions of people, into disarray, with some organizations suspending operations in the middle of the harsh
winter.Azizi did not comment on the new restrictions but said his ministry had allocated 5 acres of land for a permanent exhibition center
and hub for women-led businesses.&We always support women investors,& he said.The post IEA will start a national self-sufficiency programme:
commerce minister first appeared on Ariana News.
