BAZARAK(BNA): The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has expressed its intention to invest in the extraction and trading of emerald mines in Panjshir province, Afghanistan. During the fourteenth Emerald Auction ceremony in Panjshir, Hafiz Mohammad Agha Hakim, the governor of Panjshir, announced that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is interested in investing in Panjshir emeralds. Governor Hakim also mentioned that French merchants, following a recent visit to Panjshir, expressed their willingness to collaborate in the emerald industry. Furthermore, the Governor disclosed plans for a joint meeting to be held in the upcoming days by the American Chamber of Commerce with local merchants in Kabul. He reiterated the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s support for the legal and transparent extraction of mines across the country, especially emphasizing the importance of transparency in the emerald mining process in Panjshir. Mawlavi Mohammad Qasem Amiri, the head of the Mines and Petroleum Department in Panjshir, reported that 6,887 carats of emeralds were sold to national traders during the fourteenth auction, amounting to $217,250. Additionally, a few days prior, a 2,867 carat Panjshir emerald was sold to national traders for $296,750, showcasing the growing interest and investment potential in Afghanistan’s emerald industry.
