KABUL (SW): The Czech Republic has expressed intent to invest up to $ 70 million in a cement plant in Afghanistan.
According to media reports, the Czech Republic has not specified the exact location where this plant would be established. Both the governments are likely to ink the deal in two-month time. It is worth noticing that the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has time and again highlighted the fact that foreign investors are keen to invest in setting-up cement production plants.
Dawood Saba, former minister for mines and petroleum, had drafted a policy to attract investment in this sector, and that policy was approved by the cabinet. According to the ministry officials, this policy has taken into account a number of aspects not only to attract foreign investment, but ensure local raw-material as well as the local labor is used for the production.
Afghanistan imports different construction material worth at least two million dollars annually from neighboring countries, mainly from Pakistan and Iran. As per statistics provided by the Central Statistics Bureau, Afghanistan imports 3.4 million tons of cement on annual basis. According to the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI), on daily basis up to 15 tons of cement makes its way into the country from the neighboring countries.
ENDS
