Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia air corridor to open soon

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AT-KABUL: Boosting expert capacity of public and private sectors, new air corridor for the first time is going to be opened between Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia with first ever Afghan goods cargo to Jeddah next week, official said Tuesday.

This is indication of new policy strategy of government at spurring growth and job creation by boosting the export capacities of the country’s private sector and steeping up trade with regional and global markets. There is already air corridor with several other countries, helping Afghan traders in exporting their goods in shortest time.

Samir Rasa, spokesperson to senior presidential advisor for banking and financial affairs, said in first cargo 500kg Afghan saffron will be shifted from Kabul to Jeddah.

Briefing newsmen, Rasa said nine days ago Memorandum of Understanding for inauguration of air corridor between Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia has been signed.

In order to boost investment, 2,415 industrial plots is to be distributed in 13 industrial parks in 11 provinces, he added.

He also talked about easing trade facilities for traders by reducing prices. “High Economic Council decided to charge 50Afs for 1m square land for traders.”

He added, each acres land will cost 100,000Afs for traders, adding additionally government will provide electricity and other infrastructures to the industrial parks.

These parks allocated in Kabul, Ghazni, Maidan Wardak, Kandahar, Nangarhar, Faryab, Khost, Logar, Herat, Paktia and Helmand provinces, he noted.

According to Rasa, Afghanistan has so far exported 2600 tons of trade commodities worth around 51 million US Dollars via Afghanistan-India, Afghanistan-Kazakhstan, and Afghanistan-Turkey air corridors.

By establishing several air corridors, Afghan goods, including dry and fresh fruits, medical herb, carpet and some other garments transferred abroad through 100 flights so far.