Afghanistan Times
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Only boosting foreign domestic investment could help Afghanistan to overcome current fragile economy situation—and the government efforts is quite visible with doing level best to attract investment to capitalize on its untapped potential and also in other areas. Afghanistan is a land that has countless opportunities and gradually changing into landscape of emerging as continental economy. The greatest common project is the revival of the Silk Roads, or in modern days, the belt and road initiative of China is another milestone as Afghanistan is main gateway connecting central and South Asia and the Middle East, and reverse to India, Iran and eventually to the European countries. Our full membership to AIIB would enable us to integrate with key regional highway and railway system, and already helped us a lot in the five-nation railway project (China-Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Iran). There is no denying to the fact that Afghanistan is a trade hub that links the Indian subcontinent with Central Asia, and China, regions that include some of the fastest growing economies in the world. It is also not justice to turn blind eye over vital location of Afghanistan that makes it a natural locus for an emerging regional network of trade routes and pipelines. Currently trade relations with the Central Asian countries are also at highest level in which several development projects is underway. Besides that, relation with Turkey is also surfacing, with the country is ready to help in every areas including trade, education and also facilitating repatriation of Afghan refugees living in Turkey. Turkish prime minster recently visited Kabul, reiterated support to the Afghan government, and also discussed key issues of the country. Following his trip, Turkish Deputy Minister of Economy, Fatih Metin, visited Kabul on Sunday, assuring his country’s readiness to provide raw materials to Afghan manufacturing companies. Metin who is leading a 25 member business delegation, said the private sector in Turkey is willing to invest in Afghanistan’s mining, energy production and agriculture sectors. Seizing the opportunity, the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industries called on Turkey to help Afghanistan to use the Lapis Lazuli route—a path that will help Afghanistan in transferring goods between the two countries. Fresh and dry fruits could easily flood to the international markets through Lazuli route, and also Afghanistan has abundance capacity to generate electricity and solar power. It is not a wall-type statement, as we have major water resources that simply address electricity shortages once utilized appropriately. The glad tiding is that Turkish investors are willing to invest in these areas—another great opportunity for Afghanistan to end its power shortages, and once again make a suitable ground for foreign investments inside the country.
