Logar Chromite extraction tender awarded to Afghan company
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has awarded a tender to a domestic company for the extraction of chromite in Azra district, Logar province.
Taliban Minister Shahabuddin Delawer announced the five-year contract, with the winning company pledging to invest 151 million Afghanis in the mine.
Delaware emphasized the importance of the company adhering to the terms of the contract.
However, Former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani criticizes the Taliban’s secretive awarding of mining extraction contracts, highlighting their lack of international legitimacy and transparency.
Ghani questions the duration of these contracts and the allocation of revenues, emphasizing the unclear principles governing Afghanistan’s asset acquisition and revenue utilization.
Over the past 10 months, the ministry has awarded contracts for 15 large-scale mines, marking a significant step towards legal mining operations in Afghanistan.
Ministry spokesman Hamayoon Afghan highlighted the recent trend of awarding contracts to local companies, with around 50 small-scale mining contracts granted this year.
The general manager of the winning chromite extraction company affirmed their commitment to complying with contract regulations and called for government support for local investors.
Meanwhile, Ashraf Ghani, former president of Afghanistan, draws attention to the illicit economy’s ties to global criminal networks, citing increased drug exports from Afghanistan and condemning unlawful mining contracts lacking international recognition.
Ghani underscores the need for fundamental economic development and transparent resource distribution, pointing out broken promises from China and highlighting increased taxation under the Taliban, adversely affecting Afghanistan’s economic landscape.
Additionally, the ministry recently approved a tender for lead extraction in Ghor province, with the winning company expected to invest $247 million in the project.
Despite Taliban claims of voluntary awards, the absence of transparent mechanisms raises concerns about the fairness and accountability of the process.
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