Monitoring Desk
KABUL: Afghanistan’s acting deputy prime minister for economic affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said on Sunday that the Taliban administration has planned to convert the former foreign military bases into special economic zones for businesses.
The acting deputy prime minister had told Reuters that the commerce ministry was working on the plan for former military bases and would submit it to the cabinet and the economic committee led by the acting deputy prime minister for approval.
In a statement, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said that following a detailed discussion, it was decided that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce should gradually take control of the remaining foreign forces’ bases to convert them into special economic zones for businesses.
The acting deputy prime minister said a pilot plan would start to convert the military bases in Kabul and in Balkh province.
Special economic zones to revive Afghanistan’s economy
Since the Taliban took over in 2021 as foreign forces withdrew after 20 years of war, Afghanistan’s economy is facing a severe crisis and aid organizations have warned of a dangerous humanitarian crisis.
The Taliban takeover resulted in sanctions enforced on the banking sector, a cut in development funding, and the freezing of foreign-held central bank assets.
The Taliban authorities’ decision to ban women NGO workers from work last year prompted several aid groups to partially suspend humanitarian operations while millions remain dependent on humanitarian support.
The Taliban authorities have said they are focused on developing economic self-sufficiency through investment and trade. Several foreign investors have also shown concerns over a series of attacks.
However, the Taliban administration managed to keep revenues largely steady in 2022 and the World Bank has also noted that Afghanistan’s exports increased.
