Business
Japan pledges over $122 million in aid to Afghanistan for 2021
Japan has announced its decision to provide over $122 million to support humanitarian and development programs in Afghanistan for the year 2021.
In a statement issued on Monday, by the Japanese Embassy in Kabul, this aid “is a vigorous step forward in realizing Japan’s pledge delivered at the Geneva Conference in November 2020, where Foreign Minister Mr. Motegi Toshimitsu affirmed Japan’s long-lasting friendship with and support for the people of Afghanistan, and pledged financial assistance up to 180 million USD per year between 2021 and 2024, a figure
comparable to the past four years.”
The embassy stated that this $122.2 million contribution forms a part of Japan’s assistance to Afghanistan to be disbursed in 2021.
“It will enable implementation of 17 humanitarian and development assistance projects orchestrated by various organizations throughout the country, aiming for the betterment of livelihoods through multiple approaches,” read the statement.
“Enhanced security sector plays an essential role in the Afghan-led nation building as we gaze at peace on the horizon. Our continuous contribution to the Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan (LOTFA) exemplifies Japan’s commitment for a peaceful Afghanistan, as LOTFA is a significant multi donor program that plays a vital role in strengthening the country’s security sector,” said Japan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan OKADA Takashi.
“In light of the global pandemic, we also believe that assistance for vulnerable segment of the population who are most severely affected is essential. We truly hope that this new support will contribute to bringing about as many joyous smiles of Afghan people as possible,” he said.
Japan has been assisting Afghanistan’s nation-building efforts in various
fields including security, agriculture, rural development, human capacity
development, education, health, infrastructure, culture and humanitarian
assistance for many years.
With the upcoming disbursement of $122.2 million, the cumulative Japanese assistance to Afghanistan since 2001 will amount to $6.9 billion.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said Thursday it has signed cooperation agreements with ten institutions to support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Nooruddin Azizi, Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry, said: “In the implementation of projects, we must pay special attention to our activities and actions and try to make useful use of the projects according to the requirements and benefit the beneficiaries.”
These ten institutions are to present their projects, the total value of which is around over $1.1 million. The projects will be carried out in Kabul, Baghlan, Ghor, Herat, Logar, Nangarhar, Balkh, Badakhshan and Jawzjan provinces and provide direct jobs for about 1,000.
To date, the ministry has signed MoUs for 72 projects in total, collectively valued at about $53.6 million.
These agreements have been signed with domestic and foreign companies for the establishment of small and medium-sized businesses.
In accordance with the principles and laws of the Islamic Emirate and prioritizing the implementation of projects for immigrants and returnees and internally displaced people, the ministry said 635,865 people will benefit through jobs directly and over 4.3 million will benefit indirectly in 25 provinces once these projects are implemented.
The National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA) confirmed Tuesday that in the last month of solar year 1402, (March 2024) Afghanistan’s exports totaled $141.1 million and imports totaled $789.6 million.
This was down from $174 million for exports in the same period in 1401. However, imports increased by $99.2 million in 1402, up from $690.4 million.
Most exports in the last month of 1402 went to Pakistan, India and the United Arab Emirates, while in the last month of 1401 exports went to Pakistan, India and China.
The Ministry of Interior said the governor of Herat province Islam Jar met with Alim Khan Yasin Gildaye, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Afghanistan, to discuss various issues around trade.
According to the ministry, the two sides discussed the expansion of trade facilities, increasing the volume of trade exchanges between traders of the two countries, reducing customs tariffs, solving the challenges of traders and issuing visas to them.
The Afghanistan-Kazakhstan Chamber of Commerce has been opened in Herat in order to facilitate and increase trade between the two countries.
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