The Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan has reported a 10% reduction in the country's exports to Pakistan during the 5M24. According to Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad, spokesperson for the ministry, this decrease is primarily due to Pakistan's non-compliance with trade agreements established between the two nations.
The ministry's data shows that total trade with regional partners during this period amounted to $4.6 bn. Of this, Afghanistan's exports were valued at $509mn, while imports stood at approximately $4.1bn. During the same period last year, Afghanistan recorded $568mn in exports and $3.2bn in imports, reflecting the current 10% decline in exports to Pakistan.
To address these challenges, some traders are proposing alternative trade routes to reduce reliance on Pakistan. Omid Haidari, another Afghan trader, emphasized the potential of establishing agreements with Iran to facilitate exports to Turkey and increase regional trade. He also mentioned the importance of attracting investments from Central Asian countries, as well as Iran and India, particularly to enhance the capacity of Chabahar port.
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce also provided an overview of Afghanistan's current export destinations, which include Pakistan, India, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Turkey, China, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the Netherlands, Russia, Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
As Afghanistan's trade environment evolves, the country is exploring various strategies to manage export challenges and maintain strong economic relationships with both traditional and new trade partners.
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