IEA to Start National Self-Sufficiency Program; Azizi

KABUL, Jan. 04 – Noruddin Azizi The commerce minister of the IEA said, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) will encourage self-sufficiency and wants international trade and investment.

“We will start a national self-sufficiency programme, we will encourage all government administrations to use domestic products, we will also try to encourage people to support our domestic products” Nooruddin Azizi the minister of commerce and industry told foreign media.

Countries including Iran, Russia and China were interested in trade and investment, he said adding that some of the projects under discussion were Chinese industrial parks and thermal power plants, with involvement from Russia and Iran.

Mr, Azizi laid out a plan to develop industry by creating special economic zones on land previously used for U.S. military bases. He said his ministry was presenting the plan to the administration’s cabinet and economic commission, Reuters reported.

He added that foreign investors were showing interest in Afghanistan’s mining sector, which has been valued at more than $1 trillion. He said that an iron mine in western Herat and a lead mine in central Ghor province had seen 40 companies take part in an auction and that the results would be announced soon.

He said that a major contract signed with Russia in September for the supply of gas, oil and wheat would see the delivery of the items to Afghanistan in coming days.