Conference To Attract Investment, Support Power Sector Held In Kabul

KABUL (Pajhwok): A conference titled“Attracting Investment & Supporting Afghanistan's Power Sector” was organised in Kabul on Saturday, with the participation of domestic and foreign investors, senior officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) and envoys from regional countries.

Officials said the purpose of the two-day conference was to highlight investment capacities and opportunities in the power sector, ensure sustainable engagement of domestic and foreign investors, identify challenges and propose solutions, enhance technical knowledge, strengthen cooperation among the public, private, and international sectors and pave the way for regional electricity connectivity.

During the conference, several electricity purchase contracts and cooperation and investment agreements were inked, including agreements for power generation with a capacity of 9,123 MW and the establishment of infrastructure, as well as a 284 MW electricity generation contract between Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) and domestic and foreign investors.

In addition, work was kicked off on projects previously agreed with Uzbekistan, involving an investment of $250 million in partnership with DABS.

Addressing the event, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said Afghanistan had vast capacity for large, medium and small-scale investments.

He described the country as resource-rich due to its abundance of raw materials.

He added that Afghanistan, in addition to other resources, possessed extensive hydro, wind and solar energy potential. Effective utilisation of these resources would not only make Afghanistan self-sufficient in electricity but also enable it to export energy to other countries.

The deputy premier said holding such conferences was important for showcasing investment opportunities in the power sector, attracting domestic and foreign investors, discussing challenges, proposing solutions and engaging in broad-based dialogue.

Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Maulvi Abdul Salam Hanafi said the international community should support Afghanistan in implementing projects to generate employment and engage young people in productive work.

He emphasised that the conference was important for Afghanistan, its neighbouring countries, the region and the world, and that it represents a valuable opportunity following years of insecurity and conflict.

Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs Maulvi Amir Khan Muttaqi said that due to the Islamic Emirate's balanced policies, countries were now investing in Afghanistan.

He highlighted the implementation of major ongoing projects such as TAPI, CASA-1000, TAP and Afghan Trans Railway as evidence that Afghanistan was a regional connectivity hub with positive relations with all countries.

Chief Executive Officer of DABS Dr. Abdul Bari Omar said global progress depends on electricity and countries are striving to produce power according to modern standards.

He stated that the objectives of the conference include showcasing investment opportunities, exchanging technical expertise, facilitating multilateral cooperation, identifying challenges, and finding solutions.

He added that fostering public-private partnerships is also a key aim of the conference and underlined that Afghanistan has significant energy resources.

He stressed that the current environment was more conducive than ever for investment, with opportunities open to domestic and foreign investors in electricity generation, transmission, and substation development.

Omar also noted that while Afghanistan has not contributed to climate change or greenhouse gas emissions, it suffers from its consequences.

He described Afghanistan as a bridge between Central and South Asia.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan's Energy Minister Mirzamahmudov Jurabek called the conference“a major event” and affirmed his country's readiness to cooperate with Afghanistan in power generation.

He said energy was a key pillar of Afghanistan-Uzbekistan cooperation and noted that since 2002, Uzbekistan has supported Afghanistan in the energy sector, with the Uzbek president backing joint projects.

He expressed confidence in Afghanistan's future.

Similarly, Turkmenistan's Energy Minister Annageldi Saparov said his country maintains extensive electricity sector relations with Afghanistan.

The conference was attended by senior Islamic Emirate officials, the energy ministers of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, UN representatives in Afghanistan, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNDP, several embassies, domestic and foreign private sector officials, NGOs and renewable energy supporters.

kk/ma

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