A significant step towards Afghanistan’s economic self-sufficiency was taken on Tuesday as the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum signed a $163 million investment deal with Türkiye’s 77 Construction Company for the Yateem Taq cement project in Jowzjan province.

The agreement, signed in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, covers exploration, extraction, production, and social services over a 30-year period.

Acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum, Mullah Hedayatullah Badri, expressed optimism about the project’s impact, stating that the plant will have a daily production capacity of 3,000 tons of cement and generate around 1,200 jobs for Afghan citizens.

Turkish Ambassador to Afghanistan, Cengiz Unal, emphasized the strategic importance of the project for both countries and expressed hope that it will pave the way for further Turkish investments in Afghanistan.

This latest investment follows previous agreements worth $476 million for cement projects in Jabal Saraj, Kandahar, and Herat. The Afghan government aims to reduce its reliance on cement imports through these initiatives. (ILKHA)