Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, has inaugurated the construction of the Qutayba ibn Saeed Baghlani Industrial Park in Baghlan province, covering 1,679 jiribs of land, the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office for Economic Affairs said in a statement.
The statement said the industrial park, once completed, will create opportunities for industrialists and provide jobs for thousands of Afghans.
Mullah Baradar said the development of industrial parks is essential for economic growth and self reliance, stressing that economic independence forms the foundation of political and cultural independence. He said domestic industrial and production activities across various sectors must be expanded and strengthened to achieve economic self reliance.
He said industrial parks are being developed in different parts of the country to process domestic raw materials and export the products to foreign countries. According to Mullah Baradar, this will gradually transform Afghanistan from a consumer based economy into a production based economy. He said the country’s geographic position and economic potential should be used to achieve economic self reliance rather than relying heavily on imports and humanitarian aid.
Mullah Baradar also said industrial parks would create long term employment opportunities and help reduce unemployment and poverty. He said an economic framework would be developed to expand employment and production, while fiscal and monetary policies would be implemented to maintain price stability and strengthen people’s purchasing power.
He added that these measures would help Afghanistan strengthen its position as a key trading partner in the region and open new opportunities for sustainable economic growth.