AVA - Iron and Steel Industry Calls for Support

We have made significant progress despite the ongoing challenges in the the country. Steel-making businesspeople said.

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA)_Monitoring, Officials in the union of the steel industry said nearly $500 million has been invested in the field.

The union said that more than 20,000 people are working in this field.

"Around 42 factories of the steel industry exist in Afghanistan. We have invested around $500 million in this sector. More than 20,000 people are provided with direct jobs and dozens of others are engaged indirectly," said Abdul Naseer Rishtia, an economist.

This comes as the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC) said that steel is not being exported abroad.

"We don't have exports of steel to overseas. The exports have been halted in general because what we make is being used inside Afghanistan," said Akhundzada Abdul Salam, a spokesman for the MoIC.

According to the chamber, the steel industry of Afghanistan has reached a good position in competition with the neighboring countries.