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Afghanistan exports up by 7% in first quarter of 2023: World Bank

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Exports from Afghanistan increased by seven percent in the first quarter of 2023, the World Bank said in a new report released Tuesday.

Based on unofficial Afghanistan customs data, exports in the first quarter of 2023 reached US$ 0.5 billion, with a 7 percent growth compared to Q1-2022, the report said.

As food exports remain stable, the increase can be attributed primarily to coal (by 26 percent) and textiles by 28 percent.

During Q1-2023, Pakistan remained Afghanistan’s largest export market (accounting for 60 percent of total exports), followed by India (24 percent).

Exports to Pakistan are mainly food and coal, contributing around 72 percent of total exports in Q1–2023. Coal exports to Pakistan reached US$ 111.6 million in Q1-2023 (compared to US$ 476 million in 2022 and US$ 88 million in Q1-2022).

The report also said that during the first quarter of 2023, imports stood at $1.8 billion, reflecting 32 percent growth.

The trade deficit reached $1.3 billion in the first quarter of 2023, a 45 percent growth. However, the UN cash shipments for the period (US$ 560 million) cover only less than half of the merchandise trade deficit, the report said.

The inflationary pressures eased substantially from year-on-year, with inflation recorded at 3.5 percent in February.

The Afghani currency appreciated against all currencies. Between February 4 – April 18, 2023, the Afghani currency appreciated by 5.4 percent against the US dollar.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) continues to exert strong controls on the illegal export of foreign currency, strengthening the Afghani rate. At the same time, the United Nations make US dollars available in the market through cash shipments (US$ 560 million were shipped to Afghanistan in Q1 2023 against a cumulative - US$ 1.8 billion in 2022), the report said.

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Daily truck clearances at Torkham drop from 400-500 to 5-10

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Pakistan’s Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has said that daily truck clearances at Torkham crossing have declined from 400-500 to 5-10.

SCCI President Fazal Muqeem Khan said this at the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry to promote bilateral trade and cooperation.

He said the volume of trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan had fallen from $3 billion to $1 billion annually.

Fazal Muqeem also highlighted the adverse impact of the 2% Infrastructure Development Cess (IDC) imposed by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government on trade and transit.

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Turkish scholars, charity officials assess investment prospects in Afghanistan

Officials pledged to encourage Turkish investors to explore and capitalize on investment opportunities in Afghanistan

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Afghanistan’s Acting Minister of Energy and Water, Mullah Abdul Latif Mansoor, met with a delegation of Turkish scholars and officials from the Adif Charity Foundation on Tuesday to discuss various political, religious, and social issues.

According to the Ministry of Energy and Water, Mullah Mansoor praised Adif’s humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan and highlighted the country’s ample resources for energy production.

He emphasized that Afghanistan currently offers a favorable environment for investment in all sectors, assuring the Turkish delegation of the Islamic Emirate’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of investors and their assets.

In response, Adif officials pledged to encourage Turkish investors to explore and capitalize on investment opportunities in Afghanistan, signaling a potential boost in economic and developmental cooperation between the two nations.

 

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Uzbek envoy to Pakistan discusses Trans-Afghan Railway project with Pakistani minister

The Trans-Afghan Railway project is expected to serve as a powerful stimulus for trade and economic integration among numerous countries in the region

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Regional connectivity projects including the Termez-Kabul railway line, the Trans-Afghan Railway, and the multimodal Belarus-Russia-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan transport corridor, are key to the region’s success, the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Pakistan Alisher Tukhtayev said during a meeting with Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Friday.

The two officials discussed a range of issues as well as coordinating efforts to ensure stability and deepen economic integration in the region.

Asif however pointed out that Tashkent has become an important hub for regional cooperation, Pakistani media reported Monday.

Special focus was given to the implementation of the Trans-Afghan Railway project, which is expected to serve as a powerful stimulus for trade-economic integration to numerous countries.

The ambassador said the governments of Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan are actively cooperating in the implementation of joint economic and infrastructure projects and one of them is the construction of the Trans-Afghan Railway.

He said the “Termez-Kabul-Peshawar” railway project plays an important role in restoring ties of regional connectivity between Central and South Asia.

He added that once the project is launched, the volume of trade will increase significantly and shipping costs will decrease.

Tukhtayev said the railway connectivity will contribute hugely to regional stability and overall prosperity by aiding Afghanistan’s economic recovery.

He also said the project will facilitate the delivery of Uzbek goods to world markets through Pakistani ports and will open up a new route for Pakistan to export its products to Central Asian, and European markets.

According to him, the Trans-Afghan railway will be able to carry up to 20 million tons of cargo per year, and transportation costs will decrease by 30-35% and timing of deliveries will be cut from two weeks to three to four days.

He also stated that the international cooperation project on the development of the multimodal transport corridor Belarus-Russia-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan–Pakistan is being actively promoted.

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