KABUL (SW): Officials have expressed optimism about Afghanistan’s ultimate entrance into the World Trade Organization (WTO).
After years of efforts, Afghanistan finally managed to become a membership of the WTO on Saturday July 29. Officials in Kabul say that Afghanistan’s membership at the WTO would ease the trade woes of the country. It has also been pronounced key in lifting the exports.
A number of experts however, are of the opinion that Afghanistan’s membership at the WTO might not yield results in the short term but in the long term it would help the country grow.
Musafir Qoqanddi, the spokesperson for Ministry of Commerce and Industry, told Salam Watandar that Afghanistan’s membership at the WTO would ease the trade woes of the country, and it would also enhance Afghanistan’s exports. Qoqanddi added that being member of the WTO, Afghanistan can now easily connect with the rest of the world.
He stated that once an underdeveloped country like Afghanistan joins the WTO, it witnesses economic growth of 1.5 to 3 percent.
Speaking to Salam Watandar, Saifuddin Saihoon, a university lecturer, said that due to poor management in the country, Afghanistan’s membership at the WTO would face some challenges. He said if Afghanistan’s products could not compete in the global market the country cannot benefit at all. Saihoon stated that this is an opportunity to improve standards and enjoy the technical assistances being provided by the member countries.
The World Trade Center is consisted of 163 members. Excluding Iran, rest of Afghanistan’s neighboring countries are members of it. The World Trade Organization was founded in the year 1995 and it is headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland.
ENDS
