Afghanistan Times
Related Articles
AT Monitoring Desk-KABUL: The World Trade Organization (WTO) is believed to welcome Afghanistan and Liberia as its two new members from its list of least developed countries (LDCs).
The 10th World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference was held in Nairobi, Kenya from 15 to 18 December 2015.
According to the WTO-bearers the two countries were also expected to join the trade organization’s agreement on government procurement, aimed at regulating acquisition of goods and services based on the principles of openness, transparency and non-discrimination.
In the late-November this year the spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce and Industries in Afghanistan said that the WTO membership would strengthen the national economy and provide new markets for Afghan products.
Musafir Quqandi said that the membership would bolster business system in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, other officials of the ministry also voiced pleasure and said the membership would have a positive impact on business in Afghanistan. They said that it would also resolve business and transit trade related problems. They furthered that the membership would allow Afghanistan to export its products to the world markets, with low trade tariff. They also said that it provides a golden opportunity for investors to invest in Afghanistan.
The decision of the two countries’ accession was made by WTO members in October and November correspondingly. Afghanistan and Liberia will bring the total membership of the organization to 162, with the total number of least-developed countries who have joined since 1995 rising to nine.
