Russia to create job opportunities in Afghanistan, invest in projects

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
15 May 2024 22:52
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Afghan factories, agriculture, and the construction of the Qosh Tepa water canal are all significant focal points for the business center.

Afghans walk around a downtown currency exchange market in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, April 22, 2024 (AP Photo/Siddiqullah Alizai)

Sputnik reported on Wednesday, citing the head of the Russian Business Center in Afghanistan, Rustam Khabibullin, that Russia intends to create job places in Afghanistan and invest in projects there.

"We are aiming to develop workplaces and attract Russian investors into Afghan projects," Khabibullin said on the sidelines of the International Economic Forum "Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum" in the Russian city of Kazan.

Khabibullin noted that Afghan factories, agriculture, and the construction of the Qosh Tepa water canal are all significant focal points for the business center.

"A number of our [Russian] companies arrange long-term leases of land areas for agricultural purposes near this canal," the official said.

Khabibullin mentioned Russia's active engagement in humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan, noting that the Charity Patriotic Muslims Fund distributed over 250,000 boxes of medicines to those in need in Afghanistan last year.

Earlier today, Khabibullin informed Sputnik that trade between Russia and Afghanistan has markedly surged in recent years, rising from $170 million in 2022 to over $1 billion presently.

The Russia-Islamic World Economic Forum is currently underway from May 14 to May 19 in the capital city of Tatarstan, located in Russia's central region.

The Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, after the US-led military force withdrew from the country.

In the 20 years during which Afghanistan was invaded by the NATO-led coalition, the Southern-Central Asian country has suffered tremendous destruction at unprecedented levels, leaving the country crippled by an excruciating economic crisis and sporadic terror attacks spearheaded by IS-K.

Compounding the crisis is the illegal seizure of Afghanistan's sovereign assets deposited in the US, with some of these funds being directed towards compensating 9/11 survivors, while the remainder is being held as leverage for influencing Afghanistan's domestic and foreign policies according to American interests.

The war-torn nation has sought to recover from the damage by forging alliances with global powers, including China and Russia.