Taliban Official Meets US-Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce Head to Discuss Mining Investment
Rahman Qanet, Deputy Minister of Mines in the Taliban administration, met with Jeffrey Griego, head of the Afghanistan-US Joint Chamber of Commerce in Kabul. The two sides discussed attracting investment in Afghanistan’s mining sector and expanding economic cooperation.
The Taliban Ministry of Mines announced in a statement on Thursday that the meeting emphasized the importance of drawing foreign investment into the mining sector. According to the statement, the head of the Afghanistan-US Joint Chamber of Commerce expressed readiness to cooperate on developing investment in this area.
Meanwhile, the Taliban administration’s Deputy Policy Minister of Mines said that necessary facilities would be provided to reputable foreign companies within the framework of existing laws and regulations. He described mining as one of the country’s most important capacities for economic growth, job creation, and increasing domestic and foreign investments.
Afghanistan possesses vast mineral reserves, including copper, iron, lithium, and precious stones. However, in recent years, lack of transparency, international sanctions, and the international community’s non-recognition of the Taliban administration have posed serious challenges to investment in this sector.
This meeting comes while the United States has yet to recognize the Taliban government, and contacts between the two sides in recent years have mostly focused on political, security issues, and the freedom of American citizens and detainees. Given the significance of Afghanistan’s natural resources, experts have consistently stressed the necessity for transparent, accountable management based on national interests in mining contracts—a matter that currently garners increased public attention.
