Taliban administration announces new plan to regulate oil and gas market

The Taliban administration has announced that a meeting between the Ministry of Finance and officials of the state-owned Oil and Gas Company discussed regulating the oil, gas and derivatives market, removing existing obstacles and expanding the company’s activities.

According to a news release from the Taliban-run Ministry of Finance sent to the Bakhtar News Agency, the meeting was held with the participation of Mullah Nematullah Hassan, the ministry’s deputy for customs and revenues. The ministry said the meeting also stressed the orderly supply of oil, gas and derivatives in the country’s markets.

The statement said the two sides discussed and exchanged views on the state of the oil and gas market in the country, imports, storage, supply and price fluctuations. The company’s business plan for the 1405 and 1406 fiscal years was also reviewed.

According to the Taliban administration, Mullah Nematullah Hassan stressed greater coordination between the Ministry of Finance and the state-owned Oil and Gas Company. Officials of the company also provided information on the current market situation, the company’s share of the market and existing capacities for importing, storing and supplying oil and gas products.

The statement added that the meeting also discussed the main factors behind oil and gas price volatility, the role of the state-owned Oil and Gas Company in stabilising prices and the company’s proposals. Company officials also raised the problems and obstacles facing their activities with the Ministry of Finance.

At the end of the meeting, the Taliban administration’s Ministry of Finance assured the company of further cooperation and coordination. The state-owned Oil and Gas Company is one of the government bodies active in Afghanistan’s oil and gas import, storage and supply sector.