Monday, May 07, 2012
Kabul (BNA) In order to prevent its economic growth after completion of security transition, Afghanistan has its solution that would reduce its negative impacts. 
Usage of the mines, building of railways and power plants and extension of gas and pipeline are positive measures that would affect economic growth. 
Mohammad Mustafa Mastur, deputy finance minister told media that the World Bank concerns pertaining Afghanistan’s economic growth in 2014 will reduce almost 4% is not justified as we have already adopted measures that would considerably reduce negative effects on our economy. 
Mastur added that I assure my people that economic growth at present and in future will not be that much to raise concern. 
Abdul Rauf Zia spokesperson of the World Bank in Afghanistan in his recent press conference told the  media that Afghanistan’s economic growth after 2014 will reduce and the World Bank is committed to its continued assistance to Afghanistan and annually from USD 150 million to USD200 million will be assisted to Afghanistan. 
This decision has been taken on the basis of new policy of the World Bank for the coming three years. 
The WB argues that domestic sources, economic growth and creation of job opportunities are best options for international community aid that would be reduced after withdrawal of the foreign troops. 
However, Mustafa Mastur said that presently we are working on a proposal so we can reach the economic growth reduction to its least percentage after 2104. 
He reiterated the WB in the second Bonn Conference anticipated a limited economic growth for Afghanistan as it has been dependent on foreign aid. 
They said that after 2014 when the security process is complete assistance to Afghanistan will reduce and this will affect its economic growth as well. 
According to Mastur they were concerned over Afghanistan’s economic growth but we are not concerned for if the political and security situation improve in 2014 there is much possibility that assistance of the world community is channeled at its present pace as well. 
On the other hand we were anticipating economic crisis so we have our programs and plan for this and we have five percent growth annually. Mastur compared the growth with the neighboring countries of Pakistan and Iran and says that Pakistan’s economic growth is 2.2% and that of Iran 2.5 and this indicates that we are in a better shape. 
He added that in the past three to six months the maximum value of assistance to Afghanistan enabled us to gain even up to 10% growth. 
During the current year it is anticipated at 7.4% and the ministry of finance feels that even five percent growth is also satisfactory for us. 
Hamidullah Faruqi lecturer of the faculty of economy and economic analyst views that anticipation of the World Bank towards Afghanistan has been optimistic while its threat has not been taken into account and the judgment that economic growth will be between 3 to 4% is threatening new financial crisis. 
He added that the government of Afghanistan should take into account the objective realities and seek new resource sources and make rational use of them. 
As regards limited economic growth of the neighbors said that their growth is based on domestic products and they are stale and changeable but our economy is based and dependent on foreign aid that is vulnerable all the time and this is not a guaranteed economy and can face challenges any time and bear unpleasant repercussions as this is threatened by the insecurity. 
What is stated are based on figures, but it is important that the people of Afghanistan are currently faced with immense economic problems and after 2014 will be more bitter than present and they argue that the government as its obligation towards the people and the international community is morally bound to adopt national measures so the people access to a relative economic condition.
 

Monday, May 07, 2012
Kabul (BNA) President Karzai met with a number of nationwide industrialists union members. 
At the meeting attended by ministers of commerce and industries, energy and water, Sherbaz Kameenzada chairman of the Afghanistan industrialists union, Muhsen Amiri member of the union, Hamidullah Khadem, wife of the chairman of Herat union and Abdul Jabar Safi, deputy chairman of the union and some other industrialists talked about the activities of the union.
Kameenzada told the audience that around 2,000 plants with 96,000 labor are organized within his led union. He added that plants like marble producing, carpets, plastic pipes, printing industry, fruit juices, plastic wares, PVC doors and window making plants, cartoon making, roads building, food processing, sweet producers, biscuits, non alcoholic drinks, salts, lime stone, furniture and other producers are members of this union which are meeting a part of the people’s needs. 
Sayed Muhsen Amiri said in the near future Afghanistan Industrial Conference will be organized to debate problems faced by the producers in Kabul and around 400 companies will display their products. 
Hamidullah Khadim chairman and Abdul Jabar Safi deputy chairman of the union while sharing the problems of the union members asked government support from the country’s industrialists, including allocation of industrial parks and provision of permanent electricity. 
They said that unless domestic industrialists are supported and encouraged important cannot be reduced. They also proposed that the union representatives be allowed at the CM economic committee and AISA. 
Present Karzai told the union members that Afghanistan’s domestic products must be supported and encouraged. 
He asked them to prepare their problems on written basis and deliver to the minister of commerce and industries so that solution is sought for their problems. 
At the end of the meeting the chairman of the union presented a volume of Holy Kyran and a piece of carpet bearing the insignia of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan as gift to President Karzai.
 

Sunday, May 06, 2012
Trenkot (BNA) 4.5 km road was asphalted in Trenkot city center of Urozgan province and put for public use. 
Amir Mohammad Akhondzada governor of Urozgan province said to BNA, the road funded by Australia at the cost of 2 and half million dollars. 
Governor of Urozgan thanked PRT of Australia for asphalting of this road in that province.
According to him he has planned to launch other projects in Trenkot city. T. Suraya-Yarzada
 

Sunday, May 06, 2012
Kabul (BNA) A source of the Ministry of Mines has stated that documents of the TAPI project has been finalized and the documents pertaining to the projects will be signed on May 24 (4 Jauza of current year) by the ministers of petroleum and gas and mines of the member countries. 
The spokesperson of the ministry of mines said that it is expected that the ministers of petroleum and gas and mines of the Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India and the representatives of the Asian development Bank following solution of the technical side of the project sign the documents on the May 24 of current year. 
It should be noted that Waheedullah Shahrani Minister of Mines had visited Ashqabad recently where he informed the Turkmenistan authorities about the expectations and proposals of Afghanistan and that the Turkmen side has accepted those proposals. 
Previously the Turkmenistan sources also stated that the contract for sell of gas of that country by a pipeline through Afghanistan, to Pakistan and India will be signed up to the end of May this year. 
The delay of the contract was due to differences in price of the cost for its transmission through Afghanistan. 
The project is the biggest economic project between four south Asian countries that has strong support of the USA and Afghanistan will annually get 700 million cubic meter of gas from this that will meet the need of the country and India is its greatest shareholder which will get 33 billion cubic meter of gas annually.
The project extends at a length of 1600 km from the Daulatabad of Turkmenistan. 
The project will bring in huge economic benefits for the member countries and Afghanistan in addition to the 700 million cubic meters of gas will benefits for the member countries and Afghanistan in addition to the 700 million cubic meter of gas will benefit of employment of 50,000 of its nationals in the project. 
Some of the analysts fear that the project might face security problems but Pakistan has assured that the project will not face any problems.