KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – In response to Donald Trump’s announcement of a 10% base tariff on imports to the United States, the Taliban’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce has urged the U.S. and other countries to adopt a “constructive and supportive approach” in trade and exports with Afghanistan.
In a statement on Monday (April 7), the ministry warned that such tariffs would disproportionately harm the Afghan people.
The levy, the statement said, would impact fragile sectors such as traditional handicrafts, small businesses, start-ups, many of which rely heavily on exports to survive amid Afghanistan’s ongoing economic crisis.
“Given Afghanistan’s status as a developing and economically vulnerable country, trade pressures of this kind risk obstructing our path to recovery and growth,” the statement read.
It added that Afghanistan depends on U.S. imports of essential goods, including modern tools, electronic equipment, medical supplies, and advanced technology used in various sectors.
The ministry also noted that Afghanistan does not impose tariffs on many U.S. goods and instead offers preferential trade treatment to international exporters.
Trump’s sweeping tariff plan, announced last week, is scheduled to take effect on April 5.
In addition to the 10% levy on imports to the U.S., his proposal includes a steep 49% tariff on goods exported from the United States to Afghanistan—a move likely to increase costs for Afghan importers who already struggle with currency devaluation, inflation, and logistical challenges.
Afghanistan’s exports to the U.S. primarily consist of handmade carpets, saffron, and dried fruits, products that are key to the country’s non-mineral export economy. The loss of competitive access to American markets could be a serious blow to producers, many of whom operate in rural areas with few alternative sources of income.
Since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, the country remains largely isolated under international sanctions, and its economy, already battered by conflict and drought, continues to depend on limited access to global markets.
