The Taliban’s Minister of Commerce has announced that the group’s government has formed a consortium of companies in Russia, Iran, and Pakistan with the aim of attracting investments to Afghanistan.
Nooruddin Azizi informed Reuters that he had signed a memorandum of understanding with foreign companies who will be sending delegates to Kabul to explore projects worth up to $1 billion.”
On 19 February, the Taliban declared its decision to convert former foreign military bases in Afghanistan into free economic zones.
“It was decided that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce should progressively take control of the remaining military bases of the foreign forces with the intention of converting them into special economic zones,” the Taliban’s Deputy Prime Minister, Mullah Baradar said.
Nooruddin Azizi informed Reuters that the Taliban is hopeful that the creation of economic zones and the consortium will attract foreign investment.
On 21 February, the finance ministry of the group announced that 11 infrastructure projects, including 3 dams, had been suspended due to insufficient funding.
