Afghanistan Economy Remains Steady At Dawn Of Fourth Anniversary Of Taliban Rule
By Vijian Paramasivam
PHNOM PENH, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- After four years in power, the Taliban-led government says Afghanistan's economy is prepared to withstand American tariffs and ready to welcome millions of Afghan refugees.
Today marks the fourth anniversary of Taliban rule in Afghanistan, as the nation faces new economic challenges, including a 15 per cent export levy imposed by the United States in August.
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And, millions of Afghans have returned to their homeland after fleeing the treacherous civil war that devastated the resource-rich nation.
In an exclusive interview with Bernama from Kabul, the Acting Minister of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Nooruddin Azizi, acknowledged the burdensome challenges but expressed confidence that the current government has the tools to navigate them.
"In the short term, the tariffs won't have much impact because our exports to the US amount to only RM46 million (US$11 million). We primarily export carpets, handicrafts and agricultural products to the US.
"But in the long run, we may face difficulties because we want to expand our exports to the US. The US is a big market for us," said Nooruddin.
The Taliban captured Kabul on Aug 15, 2022, after the previous regime collapsed following the US-NATO troops' withdrawal, ending a 20-year bloody civil war.
The Taliban had earlier ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.
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