China seeking to invest in gas, oil sectors in Afghanistan: Taliban

KABUL: The Taliban on Sunday said that China is seeking to invest in the gas and oil sectors in Afghanistan, reported Tolo News.

The spokesman for the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP), Homyaoon Afghan, said that they have provided essential facilities for the investors. “The minister thanked the investors and said that Afghanistan is rich in gas and oil and it is expected that in the near future there will be announced the extraction of gas and oil in some areas,” he said.

Earlier in January, the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan signed a contract with a Chinese company to extract oil from the Amu Darya basin as the group tries to improve the economy of Kabul, Tolo News reported.

China and the Taliban signed the agreement at a ceremony in the presence of senior members of the Islamic Emirates and Chinese Ambassador Wang Yi.

Afghanistan’s acting mines and petroleum minister Shahabuddin Delawar, said the first three years will be exploratory and that in this period more than USD 540 million will be invested, reported Tolo News.

Meanwhile, the Afghanistan Chamber of Industry and Mines (ACIM) said foreign investment is important for a rise in national income and the creation of job opportunities for citizens.

“This is a good opportunity for Chinese companies and also for Afghanistan... This is a good opportunity both for Afghanistan and China,” said Sakhi Ahmad Payman, deputy head of the Afghanistan Chamber of Industry and Mines (ACIM).

Earlier, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce reported that China had invested and signed contracts in Afghanistan worth USD 2 billion in investment after the fall of the former government.

While no country has officially recognized the Taliban, China has a substantial investment in the region. Afghanistan is looking for investments as its money is still frozen. (ANI)

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