Officials from the Ministry of Economy said during a program on Thursday that outlined the achievements of the past year, that work is ongoing on over 1,300 projects worth $1.8 billion dollars this solar year in the country.

According to the ministry officials, these projects are being implemented by non-governmental organizations across various provinces of the country.

The Ministry of Economy also emphasized that finalizing the five-year National Development Strategy of Afghanistan is one of the major priorities of the ministry this year.

Abdul Latif Nazari, the Deputy Minister of Economy, rejected reports from foreign institutions about food insecurity in Afghanistan, stating that the Islamic Emirate has managed to reduce the level of food insecurity by launching major economic projects over the past three years.

Nazari added: “Our studies show that food insecurity in Afghanistan has decreased. Although some reports are occasionally published by international media, we confirm the parts that are correct and reject the exaggerated parts because we have statistics that show the food situation, thanks to God, has improved compared to previous years.”

Abdul Rahman Habib, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Economy, said during the program that currently 2,477 non-governmental organizations are active in Afghanistan, of which 2,199 are domestic and the remaining are foreign. According to Habib, in the solar year 1402, 159 domestic and 14 foreign organizations received operational licenses from this ministry.

The spokesperson of the Ministry of Economy added: “2,199 domestic entities and 278 foreign organizations, totaling 2,477 non-government institutions, are active.”

The head of the coordinating department of non-government organizations, Abdul Salam Ashrafi, referring to the cessation of activities of some non-governmental organizations over the past three years, stated that donor organizations should operate according to the policies of the Islamic Emirate and the satisfaction of the Afghan people, and should strive to implement development projects aimed at creating job opportunities.

The head of the coordinating department of non-government organizations said: “There are four important points that all organizations must implement. The project should be designed based on Afghan traditions; similarly, they should conduct economic analyses and deliver the final product to the oppressed people.”

According to the information from the Ministry of Economy, in the solar year 1402, around 2,194 humanitarian aid and development projects have been implemented by donor organizations in various provinces, creating job opportunities for over 300,000 people.