Afghanistan owes $1.4 billion in debt to foreign countries and major financial institutions, according to officials.

A senior official of the Ministry of Finance said that Kabul has paid more than $6 million in debts to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“We are in debt at around $1.4 billion since the time of republic government. It is not necessary to pay them in a short time. The debt is for 30, 40 and even a 45-year period which will be paid gradually,” said Nasratullah Mahmood, general director of the treasury of the Ministry of Finance.

A major revenue source of the government is from customs.

The head of the customs offices of the MoF said that dozens of people have been arrested on charges of corruption at customs offices.

“We have sent them to the court,” said Abdul Matin Saeed, head of the customs office of the MoF.

He said that the transit of commodities at Afghan borders has increased compared to before.

“During the former government in a period of five months, the imports were worth 177 billion Afs, but now over the past five months, the import is around 222 billion Afs,” Saeed said.

Based on the available numbers of the MoF, Afghanistan made $151 million in revenue from its customs offices and other sources over the last year.

“Over one last year, more than 65 billion Afs from taxes have been collected,” said Hedayatullah Badri, acting Minister of Finance.