In a TOLOnews debate, the acting Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC), Nooruddin Azizi, said that Afghanistan has trade relations with 60 of the world's countries and that most of the trade takes place with India, China, and Pakistan as well as Central Asia.

Economists Sayed Masoud and Azeraksh Hafizi as well as members of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment were part of the panel of TOLOnews’ debate.

“We had exports to approximately more than 60 countries. It is a fact that we have our major export to India, Pakistan and China. We are trying to target Central Asia and Russia from now on,” he said.

He said that Afghanistan is going towards self-sufficiency  within the next three-years and that the Afghans will not rely on humanitarian assistance.

“We will go towards self-sufficiency within the next three years. We will improve our trade rate as well. I am not going to promise more than this,” Azizi said.

The acting Minister of Industry and Mines said that the plans are underway to improve the country’s economic and trade sector; all budgets are funded through national revenue.

Despite the challenges in issuance of visas for the traders, Azizi said that exports have increased twice compared to before.

“We need to fund our budget from national revenue. We should not need foreign assistance. So far, the budget we spent is through our national revenue,” he said.

Economist Masoud said that the lower rate of expenses inside the country caused exports to increase.

“Reduction in the level of expenses is causing an increase in exports. It means that when the expenses reduce in the country, [goods] are heading towards export. This is a theory which we are implementing practically in Kabul,” he said.

The acting Minister of Industry and Mines said that all infrastructures were destroyed and that all assets of the Central Bank were transferred to other countries while the US troops were withdrawing from Afghanistan.