The country's total trade in the past year was $10 billion / Creating more economic alignment with countries in the region
Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - Kabul: The Ministry of Industry and Commerce held a press conference on the first day of the one-year achievements of government departments on Wednesday morning with the participation of senior government officials and media at the government media center.
Ahmadullah Zahid, Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce, participated in the government's accountability program to the nation and spoke about the activities, functions and achievements of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. It provides export development, investment attraction, entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship and employment in the country.
He said the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has organized exhibitions of Afghan products inside and outside the country to achieve its strategic goals. "Over the past year, the ministry has finalized 10 agreements on bilateral and multilateral trade, transit and transit facilities with countries in the region and beyond."
He also announced further coordination with Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and other countries in the region on economic, trade, transit and investment issues.
The Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade also recalled the friendly relations with Kazakhstan and said: "We have provided the ground for signing contracts between the private sector of the two countries worth about $200 million. Last year, we had $38 million in exports and $229 million in imports. to that country has increased 2.5 times.
He also informed about the expansion of relations with China, adding: Last year, Afghanistan exported $34 million and imported $140 million, which increased our exports to this country by 16 percent. has done.
The official of the Ministry of Industry and Trade also spoke about attracting Uzbek investors on coal, cement, electricity generation and reducing transportation costs.
He also pointed to the visits of high-level officials to Iran and added: Our exports to Iran increased by 19% last year, with $33 million in exports and $1,992 million in imports, as well as strengthening trade and transit. Especially through Chabahar, we have reached an agreement with Iran.
Meanwhile, Abdul Salam Javad, spokesman for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, said that exports to Turkey have increased by 53% in the past year, with a total value of $27 million. and $80 million in goods imported.
In the continuation of the meeting, the spokesman of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, while providing details of the total exports and imports last year with Russia, added; Russia has lifted customs duties on 97 items of the country's commercial goods, and it is worth exporting $5 million and importing $382 million from the country.
Mr. Javad said Afghanistan's trade total last year was about $10 billion, of which $1.8 billion was exports and more than $8 billion was imports.
Afghanistan's coal exports fell from $500 million to $147 million last year, but exports of cooked figs, raisins, saffron, onions and lead ingots grew significantly, ministry officials said.
They also announced the issuance of licenses to about 1,440 industrial and manufacturing companies, adding that the level of self-sufficiency has been increased from 48 to 133 items of goods.
It is worth mentioning that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce officials also provided information about the new issuance and renewal of more than 23,000 licenses, including women, and the provision of facilities to 650 foreign individuals and investors to visit Afghanistan.
They also reported that the program created direct employment for more than 646,000 people and more than 4 million 418,000 indirect employment in the capital and provinces.
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