KABUL— The Taliban’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce has signed cooperation agreements with 15 national and international organizations, aiming to support and expand Afghanistan’s entrepreneurship sector, the ministry announced.
The agreements, valued at $12.47 million, were signed Thursday in Kabul by Nooruddin Azizi, the Taliban’s Minister of Industry and Commerce. According to the Taliban, the projects will focus on economic development, market expansion, and vocational training.
The agreements include initiatives such as:l entrepreneurship training programs for small business owners, development of Afghanistan’s carpet, jewelry, and handicraft industries, market assessments and identifying challenges for small and medium-sized enterprises, training programs for low-income families in dairy and vegetable production, pistachio packaging, branding, and marketing initiatives, installation of solar energy systems for business use and providing machinery for small and medium-sized enterprises in 16 provinces.
During the signing ceremony, Azizi urged transparency in the implementation of these projects, emphasizing that efforts must be carried out with “honesty and a commitment to lawful income.” He called on all institutions involved to ensure that the rightful beneficiaries receive their due.
According to the Taliban, the projects will directly benefit 17,673 people across the provinces of Kabul, Paktia, Paktika, Khost, Balkh, Kandahar, Logar, Kunduz, Baghlan, Badakhshan, Badghis, Faryab, Jowzjan, Nangarhar, Takhar, and Bamyan.
