RASC News Agency: The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Taliban group has announced that Afghanistan exported nearly two billion dollars worth of goods to regional and global countries in the year 2023. Abdul Salam Akhundzada Jawad, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Taliban group, stated on Monday, January 1st, that Afghanistan’s primary export destinations included countries such as Pakistan, India, China, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.
Emphasizing a two percent increase in Afghanistan’s exports in the current year compared to previous years, he underscored the necessity of lifting restrictions imposed by the international community to further develop Afghanistan’s trade. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson stressed that Afghanistan had exports worth 1.9 billion dollars in 2023. Despite challenges with the reconstruction of the Salang Highway, reduced coal exports, and issues with neighboring countries, this represents a two percent increase, equivalent to 41 million dollars.
According to the ministry’s information, exports to Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan have decreased, while exports to India, China, and Kazakhstan have witnessed an increase. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Taliban group regards the ascending trend in exports, the establishment of trade data centers, a centralized export document center, the revival of export enhancement projects, and increased human resources as significant achievements for Afghanistan’s promising future. Nevertheless, the World Bank has recently reported a four percent increase in Afghanistan’s exports in the first three months of the previous year, with goods valued at 600 million dollars exported from January to April.
It is worth mentioning that while the Taliban group touts an increase in the country’s exports, over half of Afghanistan’s population lives below the poverty line, going to bed hungry at night. It is notable that after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, poverty became one of the afflictions plaguing the Afghanistani people.
