The Taliban conducted three significant meetings with Chinese representatives regarding the development of the Mes Aynak copper mine. The meetings involved key Taliban ministers and representatives from the Metallurgical Corporation of China. The agenda included the potential construction of a thermal power plant, with conflicting reports citing capacities of 370 MW and 400 MW, intended to power mining operations. Additional topics of bilateral cooperation such as increasing pine nuts exports to China and investments in the Wakhan Corridor were also discussed.
The participants included Shahabuddin Delawar, acting head of the Ministry of Industry, and officials from the Metallurgical Corporation of China, Khairulla Khairkhah, acting head of the Ministry of Information, and Chinese Ambassador Zhao Xing, as well as Acting Foreign Minister Amir-Khan Muttaki.
The establishment of a power plant is essential for providing electricity to the mining equipment at Mes Aynak. The discussions reiterated the importance of preserving the Buddhist cultural heritage at the site, a concern shared by both parties.
Mes Aynak, located about 40 kilometres southeast of Kabul in Logar province, is one of the largest untapped copper deposits globally, valued at a minimum of $50 bn. It also encompasses an ancient Buddhist city that was part of the Silk Road, making it not only economically significant but also archaeologically important.
The need to initiate copper extraction is driven by the Taliban's search for new revenue sources, particularly to counter the impact of international sanctions. However, the project faces significant challenges due to the archaeological significance of Mes Aynak. Plans to mine the area are complicated by the presence of extensive historical artefacts, some dating back as far as 1500 BC.
In 2007, the former Afghan government entered into a $3 bn contract with a Chinese consortium that included the Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC) and the Jiangxi Copper Corporation. This agreement was aimed at extracting copper from the Mes Aynak site.
The terms of the contract required the Chinese consortium to pay royalties to the Afghan government. Additionally, the agreement mandated the development of essential infrastructure, such as a railway and a power plant, to support the mining operations.
The commencement of the mining activities at Mes Aynak was perpetually delayed. Initial assessments were based on a preliminary survey, which failed to identify the extensive presence of historical artefacts and the remnants of an ancient city at the mining site. Noori noted that at the time of the contract's signing 15 years ago, the scope of archaeological significance at the site was underestimated.
Moreover, persistent security concerns in the province further stalled the project's development. These issues created significant obstacles, preventing the start of work on the infrastructure necessary for the mining operations.
The discussion of relocating artefacts from the site sparked concerns among archaeologists about the feasibility of such an operation. Given the Taliban's historical disregard for Buddhist artefacts, exemplified by their destruction of significant statues in 2001, the international community remains sceptical about the preservation of the site's cultural heritage.
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