Taliban Seeks Foreign Investment to Exploit Afghanistan's Trillion-Dollar Mineral Wealth

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The Taliban government is aggressively pursuing both local and foreign investors to unlock Afghanistan's vast mineral resources, which are estimated to be worth up to $1 trillion, according to assessments by U.S. and U.N. agencies. With a renewed emphasis on security, authorities have signed approximately 200 mining contracts, primarily with local companies, since their return to power in 2021. This effort is intended to foster self-sufficiency amid numerous challenges, including a lack of expertise and infrastructure, highlighted by Humayoun Afghan, spokesman for the Ministry of Mines.

While mining activities have increased, the environmental risks associated with loose regulations are a concern for many experts. Various contracts have been issued for the extraction of emeralds, rubies, and other valuable minerals, but operations are reportedly lagging. Notably, Chinese companies have emerged as key players in the sector. "Investors are seeing that the country has been stabilised," Afghan noted, although the government remains unrecognized internationally, which complicates future foreign investment.

Environmental advocates warn that the rush for resources could result in long-term environmental degradation, as safety and regulation remain insufficient.

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