The Ministry of Public Works (MoPW) said that the practical work on Mes Aynak project will begin soon and that this will provide job opportunities for many citizens of the country.

Speaking at a press conference, the deputy minister of Public Works, Abdul Salam Makhdom Sadat, denied the numbers given of unemployed people claimed by humanitarian organizations.

“The head of the Mes-Aynak project and head of its HR had a meeting with us. They told us that they would soon provide job opportunities for at least 20,000 people,” he said.

The head of the Afghanistan Chamber of Industry and Mines said that the extraction of mines will not only provide revenue for the government but will also create jobs for the residents in the province.

“The major economic projects will pave the way for sustained employment and will increase national revenue such as with the extraction of mines at the Mes-Aynak project. It is one of the main projects,” said Sakhi Ahmad Paiman, head of the ACIM.

The deputy minister of Public Works said that they are in talks with several organizations to alleviate the poverty in the country.

“We invited the head of the International Labour Organization (ILO) organization and said to them that the suffering of the people could not be ended with one bag of flour and one bottle of oil. And we asked them to help us overcome poverty in the country,” Makhodm Sadat said.  

The World Bank in its recent report voiced concerns over the economic crisis and the high rate of unemployment in the country. According to the World Bank, the Afghan GDP would witness negative growth between 30 to 35 percent.