The Kabul Tribune (KT) — The Taliban are weighing a plan to offer one- to ten-year residency permits to foreign investors in exchange for investment in Afghanistan, the Taliban’s economic office said Saturday.
The proposal was discussed at a meeting of the Taliban’s Economic Commission, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar at the Marmarin Palace. According to an official statement, the commission endorsed the plan in principle.
A committee has been tasked with categorizing residency durations based on the size of an investment and submitting a final report at the commission’s next meeting, the statement said.
The commission also reviewed plans to launch the international “TIR” transit system in Afghanistan’s customs offices. A separate committee was formed to assess the initiative and report back within a set timeframe.
The Taliban have repeatedly promoted what they describe as economic and development plans since returning to power more than four years ago. But critics say that a lack of political legitimacy, international sanctions and restrictive policies have prevented any meaningful improvement in the country’s economy.
Afghans continue to face rising poverty, unemployment and limited job opportunities. The United Nations says nearly 22 million people in Afghanistan urgently need humanitarian assistance, warning that the country’s humanitarian crisis will worsen without sustained aid.
