Taliban Signs 30-Year Iron Mine Contract in Yakawlang with Over 438 Million Afghani Investment
The Taliban administration has signed a 30-year contract for the extraction of iron from the Yakawlang mine in Bamyan province, with an investment exceeding 438 million and 961 thousand Afghanis and a 20% royalty payment with two domestic companies. According to the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, the contract covers an area of 85 square kilometers.
In a statement from the ministry, Mullah Hedayatullah Badri, the acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum, signed the aforementioned contract with the companies “Nazari Rahimi” and “Khan Waziri.” According to him, the contract is conditional upon adherence to mining principles and regulations and the full implementation of commitments by the contracting companies.
The Ministry of Mines added that according to the agreement, 100% of the mineral materials extracted from this project must be processed domestically; a move that, if implemented, could help strengthen industrial capacities within the country.
The acting minister also stated that the project’s implementation will provide direct and indirect employment opportunities for dozens of residents of the country. However, no details have been released regarding the supervision mechanism, transparency of the contract implementation process, or how the companies’ commitments will be guaranteed; issues that have consistently been raised by experts regarding mining contracts in Afghanistan.
