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EU and ITC launch EuroMed Trade Helpdesk to boost trade in Mediterranean region
The European Commission and the International Trade Centre (ITC) today launched the EuroMed Trade Helpdesk. By providing businesses with essential information about markets, tariffs and import requirements, the Helpdesk aims to strengthen economic ties between the European Union and nine
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Afghan businessmen complain of extortions on highways
A number of businessmen have complained that local officials and powerful figures force them to pay up to 150,000 AFN for each truck on highways. According to the businessmen, the customs taxes are up to 10,000 AFN, but they end
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Afghanistan must increase economic growth to at least 4% due to population growth
The Central Statistics Organization (CSO) urged the government to enhance their efforts in boosting the economy to increase the annual economic growth due to the population growth. According to CSO, Afghanistan has a 3% annual economic growth while the population
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Parwan’s first phase of Green Industrial Park to be inaugurated soon
The first phase of the Green Industrial Park in northern Parwan province is 70% completed and will be inaugurated soon after distribution of land to industry owners. According to the Green Industrial Park’s officials, the development of the park is
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Afghan Finance Minister discusses economic ties with Georgia
Afghan Finance Minister Eklil Hakimi is visiting Georgia on June 28-29 to confer on trade and economic ties with the Georgian government and also meet with local business community. His first meeting is with his Georgian counterpart Dimitry Kumsishvili in
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Afghan government to distribute 500 tons of saffron bulbs to farmers
The Afghan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) plans to distribute over 500 tons of saffron bulbs to farmers in 30 provinces this year, marking the launch of the national five-year plan for saffron development. The ministry will establish
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Defaced Afghan banknotes to be removed from market by August
Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB), Afghanistan’s central bank, announced Tuesday that defaced and torn banknotes would be confiscated and would no longer be exchangeable after two months. The deadline for the exchange of old, torn banknotes was initially on March 22,
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China reaffirms support for Afghanistan in enhancing regional economic integration
The Chinese government reaffirmed its commitment to support Afghanistan in its peace and reconciliation process and as well as economic reconstruction. Afghanistan President Mohammmad Ashraf Ghani and Chinese foreign Minister Wang Yi met on Saturday in Kabul to confer on
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Afghanistan’s second cargo flight to India takes off from Kandahar
Cargo plane filled with 40 tons of dried fruits and medical plants was sent from southern Kandahar province to India on Saturday. Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Kandahar Governor Zalmai Wesa said Afghanistan would transport grapes, pomegranates and other fresh fruits
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Afghanistan is out of international banking gray list
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has finally removed Afghanistan from the international banking gray list after five years. Afghanistan’s central bank, Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB), has managed to fulfill all FATA conditions in order to be removed from the
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Pakistan turns to illegal trade routes to boost its declining trade
The Afghan Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MoCI) said on Wednesday that Pakistan has been trying to open illegal trade routes with Afghanistan in an attempt to retain trade volume on the local market. Pakistan has allegedly attempted to open
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Watermelon production up by 5% in Farah province
Afghan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) has reported that watermelon production has increased by 5% this year. According to the officials, watermelon crops could reach a total of 578,000 tons this year which would generate an estimated four
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Afghan ministries sign ‘Transparency’ agreement with COST
The Construction Sector Transparency Initiative (CoST) of Afghanistan signed an agreement with the Ministries of Rural Rehabilitation and Development and Ministry of Public Works. The agreement requires that the ministries have to share all information regarding building projects with the
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Recommendations presented to President Ghani for development of Kabul city
President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani held a meeting in the presidential palace to discuss the plan for development of Kabul city. Head of the independent directorate of capital zone development, Elham Hotaki, presented 15 recommendations for the development and economic growth
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First Afghan-India air corridor flight to operate over the next 2 days
India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that the first flight of the Afghanistan-India air corridor is likely to operate in the weekend or early next week. “The flight will take Indian products to Afghanistan and will bring Afghan products
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Kabul to have its first metro bus system
Kabul municipality unveiled the city’s first metro bus system– the first major urban public transportation scheme in the country– on Thursday. The first phase of the project, running from Sarai Shamali to Baraki Square, will be operational in 2018. According
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Afghanistan receives $500mn finance package from World Bank
The World Bank today announced a financing package for Afghanistan of more than $500 million to help the country through a difficult phase in its struggle to end poverty and to signal a long-term commitment to the country’s people. The
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First Afghan women’s magazine turns page on cultural traditions
A group of Afghan women volunteers has launched Afghanistan’s first-ever women’s magazine, Gellara, with features on fashion, make-up and even adverts about birth control. The first edition of Gellara has been out in the market and has received applause and
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World Bank funds 8 greenhouses in Uruzgan province
Eight greenhouses have been recently built in different areas of Tirinkot, the provincial capital of central Uruzgan province. Funded by the World Bank, the greenhouses are built on 2,850 square meters of land at a total cost of 29 million
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Electricity transformer installed in Jalalabad resolves 75% of load shedding
A third electricity transformer has been installed in Jalalabad city of eastern Nangarhar province providing an additional electricity supply of 40 megawatts of electricity The province previously received 72 Megawatts of electricity. Provincial Governor Mohammad Gulab Mangal said the activation
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Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran promise to bolster economic cooperation with Afghanistan
President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani met with the leaders of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Iran on the sidelines of the Shanghai Summit which was held in Astana, Kazakhstan. According to a statement from the presidential palace, President Ghani discussed expansion of Afghanistan’s
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Afghanistan, China sign MoUs for railway network, electricity projects
Afghanistan and China have signed Memorandum of Understandings for reconstruction of railway network from Sherkhan Port to Herat and implementation of the electricity project on Kabul-Kunar River. The MoUs were signed on Friday in the presence of President Mohammad Ashraf
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OECD ups global growth forecast to six-year high
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) predicts the global economy growth rate at 3.5%, its highest in six years. The global economy is set to grow 3.5 percent in 2017, followed by an increase to 3.6 percent in
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Afghanistan, Turkmenistan discuss electricity projects
Afghanistan’s Energy and Water Minister Ali Ahmad Osmani discussed the latest condition of electricity projects with his Turkmen counterpart on the sideline of Energy Charter meeting, which was held in Ashgabat. According to a statement from the Afghan Energy and
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