The delegation of Kyrgyzstan, led by Daniyar Amangeldiev, minister of economy and finance of Kyrgyzstan met with the acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum, Shahabuddin Delawar and acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
According to the statement of the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP), the two sides discussed cooperation in bilateral economic fields and investment in mines in Afghanistan.
Delawar was quoted in the statement as saying that the ministry has made calls for bids for gold, iron and gas mines for and that the Kyrgyz investors can present their proposals to the ministry.
The minister of economy and finance of Kyrgyzstan also met with Muttaqi and discussed the trade and transit issues.
According to the deputy spokesman for the Foreign Minister, Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, Muttaqi said that the security and stability in Afghanistan has been provided which created a better opportunity for transit and trade.
He also expressed Afghanistan’s readiness to work on major economic projects such as CASA-1000.
According to Takal, the Kyrgyz delegation pledged to provide opportunities for the Afghan traders to be connected with China through Kyrgyzstan.
“Kyrgyzstan is one of the countries which has a border with China. This can be a good path for our transit. We have imported mass pine nuts through Kyrgyzstan to China,” said Mohammad Younus Momand, deputy head of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment.
The acting Minister of Petroleum and Mines Shahabuddin Delawar speaking to the press at a contract-signing ceremony for the extraction and processing of 7 major mines said that there is complete transparency in the mining contracts, and that illegal mining and smuggling have been prevented.
The contract for seven mines worth more than $6.5 billion was signed on Thursday in the presence of the deputy PM for economic affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, and other officials of the Islamic Emirate.
The acting minister of Petroleum and Mines also said that gold mines in Takhar province, with an area of 12km square kilometers will be handed over to the China-Afghanistan Company with Zarawar Afghanistan Private Company, and $310 million will be invested in it.
According to Delawar, the second block mine of Mes Aynak in Logar, with an area of 240 square kilometers, has been handed over to Turia, a private company—the company is expected to invest $411 million.
Delawar added that the first section of the Ghoryan iron mine in Herat province has been handed over to Watan Darakhshan Company, in which $2.8 billion will be invested.
The second block of the Goryan iron mine in Herat has been handed over to Sahil Middle East Mining and Logistics Company, Dara-e-Noor, an Afghan company, and Epcol, a Turkish company, in which $874 million will be invested.
The third block of the Ghoryan iron mine has been handed over to Shamsh, an Afghan company, with GBM and AD Resources, British companies, in which $572 million will be invested.
The fourth block of the Ghoryan iron mine has been handed over to Bakhtar Steel Company, with Ehya Sepahan and Parsian Iranian companies—the companies will invest $1.17 billion.
Also, a lead mining contract in Tulak district of Ghor province has been handed over to ‘Afghan Invest’ company and Epcol a Turkish company. $537 million will be invested in the mine.
A previous version of this story cited “$573 million will be invested” in third block of Ghoryan iron mines but the correct number is $572 million. —Tolonews
