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US sets up fund that could transfer frozen assets to Afghanistan

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Washington is to set up a new fund that could eventually serve as a mechanism to free up Afghanistan’s frozen assets in order to promote economic stability in the country, senior US officials told CNN.

According to the officials, the Biden administration has worked with Switzerland and Afghan economists to set up this fund.

The US is moving $3.5 billion to the new “Afghan Fund,” but officials said they won’t release the money imminently because there is no trusted institution in Afghanistan to guarantee the funds will benefit the Afghan people, CNN reported.

Afghanistan’s central bank, Da Afghanistan Bank, issued a statement on Wednesday stating that it “deems any decision on allocation, using and transferring of the assets for irrelevant purposes unacceptable and wants it to be reconsidered.”

The statement notes that the assets are for the stability of currency, strengthening of the financial system and facilitating trade.

According to Turkey’s TRT news outlets, the funds will be transferred to the Bank of International Settlements in Basel, Switzerland, and the U.S. will set up a trusteeship to oversee the disbursement of the money for the purposes of both monetary policy and humanitarian aid.

“The [Da Afghanistan Bank] funds belong to DAB and should be returned to Afghanistan,” said Suhail Shaheen, a spokesperson for the IEA who serves as head of the political office.

“In this critical time when 99% of Afghans are living under the poverty line, it is direly needed that the reserve[s] return to the country.”

However, a US official told CNN that transferring these funds to the Afghan central bank will depend on two key factors: responsible management of the bank and assurances that the funds will not be diverted to terrorists or criminals.

“We do not have that confidence today,” said a senior US official. At minimum the Afghan central bank will need to “demonstrate its independence from political influence and interference.”

The officials also said DAB will also need to demonstrate it has “instituted adequate anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism controls” and “complete a third party needs assessment and onboard a reputable third party monitoring,” the official explained.

CNN reported that it reviewed a letter sent to DAB this week from the US deputy secretary of the Treasury, which mapped out steps DAB needed to take. The letter cites the need for DAB to demonstrate independence from IEA influence and interference, among other expectations, CNN reported.

Earlier this year President Joe Biden signed an executive order allowing for the $7 billion in frozen assets from Afghanistan’s central bank to eventually be distributed inside the country and to potentially fund litigation brought by families of victims of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.

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Gold climbs to record high as tariff worries bolster safe-haven demand

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Gold’s record run extended to another all-time high on Tuesday, buoyed by safe-haven demand as investors brace for U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned announcement on reciprocal tariffs.

Spot gold was up 0.3% at $3,131.56 an ounce at 0914 GMT, after hitting a record high of $3,148.88 earlier, Reuters reported.

U.S. gold futures were 0.3% higher at $3,159.10.

“Trump’s tariff comments and his increasingly volatile stance on Russia’s war against Ukraine are proving the perfect chaos for new record gold prices,” surpassing even the COVID pandemic five years ago, said Adrian Ash, head of research at online marketplace BullionVault.

Trump said on Sunday his reciprocal tariffs to be announced on Wednesday would include all countries, rather than a limited number.

Goldman Sachs on Monday raised the probability of a U.S. recession to 35% from 20% and said it expected more rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, as Trump’s tariffs roil the global economy and upend financial markets.

Gold, traditionally seen as a hedge against uncertainty and inflation, has risen more than 15% this year. Non-yielding bullion also tends to do well in a low interest rate environment.

“The market is watching April 2 closely for further economic indicators that could impact Federal Reserve policy decisions. If rate cuts are confirmed, this would provide additional support for gold’s upward trajectory,” said Alexander Zumpfe, a precious metals trader at Heraeus Metals Germany.

Bullion’s rally this year has also been supported by strong demand from central banks, geopolitical instability in the Middle East and Europe, and increased flows into gold-backed exchange-traded funds.

In the last session, gold closed out its strongest quarter since 1986, and climbed over $3,100/oz, marking one of the most significant upswings in the precious metal’s history.

Investors will also monitor U.S. job openings data later on Tuesday and the U.S. non-farm payrolls report on Friday.

Silver steadied at $34.06 an ounce, platinum fell 0.4% to $988.35, and palladium gained 0.3% to $985.86.

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Efforts underway to expand Afghanistan’s trade relations with India

A number of investors also suggest that the Islamic Emirate should actively participate in regional and trade fairs to increase exports, so that Afghan products can be marketed in regional and global markets.

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The Ministry of Industry and Commerce says that efforts are underway to expand trade relations with India, the volume of which reaches $650 million annually.

Abdulsalam Jawad Akhundzada, a spokesman for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, says that India is also interested in expanding trade relations with Afghanistan, and Kabul has also taken steps in this regard by using Chabahar Port, and talks have been held with the Indian side on visas.

The Chamber of Commerce and Investment also says that trade relations between Afghanistan and India are expanding and these relations are strengthening with each passing day. According to officials of the chamber, Afghanistan has exported goods worth $500 million to India in the past year.

A number of investors also suggest that the Islamic Emirate should actively participate in regional and trade fairs to increase exports, so that Afghan products can be marketed in regional and global markets.

According to investors, once the visa issues with India are resolved, a large portion of the country’s fresh and dried fruits will be exported to India because India is a good market for Afghan fruits in the region.

Investors want the Islamic Emirate to pave the way for increased exports to India through Chabahar Port.

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36 mining contracts inked over the past year: Mines ministry

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The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum says it has signed 36 large and small mining contracts, with a total value of $1.3 billion over the past year.

Officials from the ministry stated that these contracts include 10 large mines, 25 small mines, as well as projects related to cement, salt, marble, and a major gas extraction contract with Uzbekistan, all signed with both domestic and foreign companies.

Meanwhile, economic experts have emphasized the importance of increasing investments in the mining sector for the country’s economic growth. They have stressed that priority in mining contracts should be given to domestic companies.

“It is better to prioritize domestic investors over foreign ones,” said Kamaluddin Kakar, an economic expert.

In the meantime, members of the private sector also stated that if both foreign companies and Afghan investors can partner in the mining sector, this will not only foster investment development in the country but also bring positive changes in capacity building within the mining extraction sector.

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