Nooruddin Azizi, acting Minister of Industry and Commerce, said today (Monday) at a meeting with the private sector and representatives of international organizations in Kabul that Afghanistan has now achieved self-sufficiency in the production of 133 items.
Azizi called on the world to undertake fundamental work in Afghanistan instead of temporary aid to eliminate poverty and unemployment.
He added that this ministry has recently granted operating licenses to a thousand industrial companies and will soon distribute land to factory owners and investors.
The acting Minister of Industry and Commerce said: "We are self-sufficient in 133 items and semi-self-sufficient in many others. Additionally, we produce about 500 types of medicines."
Azizi also mentioned that the Islamic Emirate has adopted an economy-centric policy and has focused on supporting businessmen and industrialists.
He added: "We strive to incorporate the results from today's discussions and dialogue into the economic policies of the Islamic Emirate."
Meanwhile, Indrika Ratwatte, the deputy special representative (development) for Afghanistan at UNAMA, said that UN agencies are working to empower women and youth in Afghanistan and will continue to develop programs to facilitate the Afghan private sector's access to global markets and banking facilities.
Ratwatte emphasized that supporting the private sector is a collective responsibility.
Indrika Ratwatte added: "Access to regional and international markets, this is also something that many Afghan entrepreneurs, small, medium, or large, say how do we improve access to market? This is a joint endeavor that has to be backed upon.”
Meanwhile, the first deputy of the Chamber of Commerce and Investment, Mohammad Younus Momand, while praising the support of Islamic Emirate officials in creating facilities for businessmen and industrialists, cited the challenges of transferring money through banks and the non-issuance of visas to businessmen as significant obstacles to the growth and development of trade and industry in the country.
Momand said: "In terms of business visas, we need necessary cooperation. The Chamber of Commerce has proposed, and perhaps the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will agree with us, that we want to have a general visa center."
This meeting, named the Private Sector Dialogue, Challenges and Opportunities, was organized by a private entity and attended by the Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce, representatives of international organizations, and countries in Kabul.