On the eve of the Doha meeting, the Taliban propose eight initiatives for the private sector

Taliban Trade Minister Nooruddin Azizi visits a company in Kabul. File photo.

As the Doha meeting approaches, the Taliban presented eight private sector proposals to the international community at Monday’s meeting.

The Taliban-led Ministry of Industry and Trade said the private sector was an important item on the agenda for the Doha meeting, calling for global support for Afghanistan in this area. However, representatives of Afghanistan’s private sector criticized the Taliban’s pressure on entrepreneurs during previous meetings with the ministry.

The third Doha meeting, hosted by the United Nations, will be held in Qatar next week.

The Taliban plan to discuss several issues with international officials and the United Nations, including the release of Afghanistan’s frozen funds, shifting international aid from humanitarian aid to infrastructure support, completing unfinished projects, normalizing Afghanistan’s banking relations with world banks, reactivating Afghanistan’s membership in the World Trade Organization, global marketing Afghan products, supporting the private sector in policies and programs, and easing visa restrictions for traders.

Taliban proposals for the private sector include:

Release of frozen funds of Afghanistan

Shifting international aid from humanitarian aid to infrastructure support

Finishing unfinished projects

Normalization of Afghanistan’s banking relations with world banks

Reactivation of Afghanistan’s membership in the World Trade Organization

Global marketing of Afghan products

Supporting the private sector in policies and programs

Easing visa restrictions for entrepreneurs

Nouruddin Azizi, acting Minister of Industry and Trade, said: “We have problems with banking and transactions. We are asking the international community, especially UNAMA and the United Nations, to address our banking concerns. Negative reporting accomplishes nothing; it only sets Afghanistan back.”

The former head of the Association of Banks of Afghanistan said banking sanctions have created serious challenges for Afghanistan’s private sector.

The meeting, titled “Economic Meeting between the Private Sector and Donors,” was broadcast by Afghan state television, now run by the Taliban, which broadcast only the speech of the acting Minister of Industry and Trade, omitting speeches from members of the private sector and other speakers.

At a previous ministry meeting on June 6, members of the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Investment Board criticized the Taliban for pressuring the private sector and bureaucracy in Taliban-run ministries.

Khan Jan Alokozai, a board member of the Chamber of Commerce and Investment, criticized the Taliban’s treatment of traders, citing the various taxes imposed on them. He noted that the Taliban Private Sector Support Fund is financed by traders, but suggested finding other sources of funding for the fund. Alokozai emphasized that the fund should address traders’ problems and not finance large projects.

A recent report by the UN Secretary-General found that restrictions imposed by the Taliban have had a significant impact on women entrepreneurs, who are a key part of the Afghan private sector. Some women entrepreneurs reported that they faced gender discrimination in market access.