Afghanistan ready to facilitate transit of regional goods: Baradar

KABUL (Tolo News): Second Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said that security is now ensured in Afghanistan and that the country is ready for transit between South and Central Asia.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 6th China-South Asia Exposition, Baradar urged foreign investors to put funds into Afghanistan.

“I say to South Asian countries that Afghanistan is ready for any type of cooperation for the transit of their commodities,” he said.

Baradar also said that the situation is good for the implementation of major development projects in Afghanistan.

“The existence of security in Afghanistan caused the work on big projects like TAPI pipeline project to be accelerated, and other projects like CASA-100, TAP and TUTAP be resumed,” Baradar said.

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce said there were a total of 15 booths from Afghanistan in the exhibition.

“In this exhibition, expensive industrial materials, dry fruit and other trades were displayed. This exhibition will hopefully enhance trade relations between us and other countries,” said Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad, a spokesman for the MoIC.

The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACIM) said that due to problems in visa-issuing, the Afghan traders were not able to attend this exhibition.

“There was no presence from Kabul at the exhibition. Those who were in China attended the exhibition and Afghanistan had its booths,” said Khanjan Alokozai, a member of the ACIM.

The exhibition is due to last until November 22nd. The Afghan products being displayed in this exhibition included pine nuts, saffron and precious stones.