Taliban Ministry Signs $67 Million Contract for Aibak Cement Project in Samangan
The Taliban’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has announced the signing of a $67 million investment contract for the Aibak Cement project in the Feroznakhchir district of Samangan province. According to the ministry, the factory will have a daily production capacity of 1,200 tons of cement, and the project has been leased to a private company for 30 years.
Based on the official statement, the contract was signed on Thursday between Hidatullah Badri, acting minister of Mines and Petroleum, and the company “Aibak Cement.” Under the terms of the contract, the company commits to paying the government a royalty of 200 Afghanis for every ton of cement produced.
Ministry officials stated that the continuation of this project is conditional upon adherence to mining principles and regulations, as well as the obligations outlined in the contract. The acting minister added that once operational, the project will provide employment opportunities for approximately 600 citizens.
Additionally, the investing company has pledged to spend nearly $1 million on social services within the specified period. However, no detailed information has been released regarding the monitoring of the company’s financial and social commitments—an issue that experts have consistently raised as a serious concern regarding transparency and accountability in large mining contracts.
Samangan province, located in northern Afghanistan, is known for its mineral resources, and the implementation of industrial projects in the region has the potential to improve the economic conditions of local residents, provided that the execution and oversight processes are transparent and accountable.
