Taliban Administration Announces New Plan to Regulate Oil and Gas Market

The Taliban administration has announced a new plan to regulate the oil and gas market.

It said that in a meeting between the Ministry of Finance and officials of the state-owned Oil and Gas Company, discussions were held on regulating the market for oil, gas and their derivatives, removing existing obstacles and expanding the company’s activities.

According to a press release from the Taliban-run Ministry of Finance sent to the Bakhtar news agency, the meeting was attended by Mullah Naematullah Hassan, deputy minister for customs and revenues. The ministry said the meeting also stressed the regular supply of oil, gas and derivatives in the country’s markets.

The press release 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 Naematullah Hassan stressed greater coordination between the Ministry of Finance and the state-owned Oil and Gas Company. Officials from the company also provided information on the current market situation, the company’s share of the market and existing capacity for importing, storing and supplying oil and gas products.

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

At the end of the meeting, the Taliban-run Ministry of Finance assured closer cooperation and coordination with the state-owned Oil and Gas Company. The state-owned Oil and Gas Company is one of the government bodies active in Afghanistan in the import, storage and supply of oil and gas products.