Kunduz Gold Mining Contract Signed with $20 Million Investment
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has announced the signing of a gold mining contract in Qala-e-Zal district of Kunduz province, with an investment exceeding 20 million US dollars. The contract is valid for five years and the signing ceremony was attended by the ambassadors of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan.
According to the ministry’s statement, the contract was signed on Sunday by Hidayatullah Badri, acting head of the Taliban’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum. The mining area covers approximately 5.97 square kilometers, with a total investment value of 20.24 million US dollars.
Under the terms of the contract, the responsible company must pay a 30 percent royalty to the government and also spend 200,000 US dollars on social services. It is stated that the project will create direct and indirect employment opportunities for about 100 people.
Although the Taliban administration cites increased investment in the mining sector as an economic achievement, no details have been provided regarding oversight of the extraction process, financial transparency, or guarantees that local communities will receive a fair share of the mine’s revenues. Experts have previously emphasized that transparent and accountable management in the mining sector could play a vital role in the sustainable development of the country’s mineral-rich areas.
