The Ministry of Finance said Thursday that Afghanistan and Iran have created several committees to expand cooperation in various areas between the two countries.
According to the MoF, the newly established committees will work on the economy, agriculture, railways, trade and the investment sectors.
The joint committees were set up between these two countries during a meeting between the Islamic Emirate officials and Iran’s special envoy to Afghanistan, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, who visited Kabul recently.
“Most of our trade challenges were in Iran.
When our traders are buying the goods, they are not processed on time, visas are not issued on time,” said Ahmad Wali Haqmal, a spokesman for the Ministry of Finance. The Afghanistan-Iran committee agreed on the following items:
Introducing representatives of both sides to export flour and oil to Afghanistan. Technical investigation of the Khaf-Herat railway project. Creation of a committee between Afghanistan, Iran and China to build and fund the Herat-Mazar and Wakhan-Kashgar railways.
Joint investments in the agricultural sector. Creation of a joint Chamber of Commerce between Afghanistan and Iran. Visa facilities for traders and investors of both sides. Solving of the fuel problems for traders. Enhancng the capacity of Afghan refineries and facilitating the country’s transit goods by Iran.
Meanwhile, Nooruddin Azizi, the acting minister of industry and commerce, said that efforts are being made to increase the level of exports to Iran.
“Yesterday a group came from Iran, we talked regarding the increase of our import and export balance,” said Nooruddin Azizi.
Working committees started functioning in the trade, investment, mining, customs, banking and cultural sectors.
In the meantime, some economists said that most of Afghanistan’s raw materials are imported from Iran, and the creation of joint committees could help boost the country’s industry and economy.—Agencies
