KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban-led Ministry of Mines and Petroleum signed a 30-year agreement on Tuesday with the private company SAKO Afghan to establish a cement production facility in the Altamor area of Logar Province.
Hedayatullah Badri, the Taliban’s minister of mines, said during the signing ceremony in Kabul that the project would involve an investment of $145 million by SAKO Afghan. The facility is expected to produce 2,500 tons of cement daily, meeting a significant portion of Afghanistan’s domestic demand.
“This project will play a crucial role in the country’s reconstruction and economic development,” Badri said, adding that it would create hundreds of job opportunities.
Wu Zeidan, the president of SAKO Afghan, assured attendees that the project would be completed on schedule and in compliance with the contract’s terms, adhering to international standards.
The Taliban have said that, to date, they have signed contracts for four major cement production projects valued at a total of $623 million with both domestic and foreign investors, with work on these projects reportedly progressing.
However, the Taliban’s management of Afghanistan’s mining revenues has faced widespread criticism, with experts and observers raising concerns over a lack of transparency in how funds are allocated.
