Saturday, July 20, 2013
Kabul (BNA) President Hamid Karzai chaired the High Economic Meeting held at the presidential palace the other day.
At this meeting the ministers of Finance and Commerce presented the draft policy for promotion of investment during the transition period and stressed that the draft has been confirmed by the Council of Ministers meeting on 10/4/1392 in principle and the policy was planned to be implemented in 2013 to 2014. The main aim of the policy to provide special facilities for investment in the different sectors, attraction of investment, prevention of capital drains, creation of better job opportunities and atmosphere of trust, reduction of concerns of residents and welfare of the public.
The Minister of Finance and Commerce stated that this draft covers five main areas mainly industry, construction, agriculture, development of exports and mines which include tax waiving, and custom duties of private sector, distribution of land under easy conditions at the industrial parks, issuance of long-term visa, provision of long-term loans with low rate interest rates, issuance of long-term visa for foreign traders willing to invest, creation of a system of trade advocacy for solution of trade disputes, meanwhile industrial factories that will be commissioned during the 1392 and 1393 will be waived from the date of commissioning to the end of 1393 from any type of taxes except the city sanitation duties.
The High Economic Council confirmed the draft for the period and its extension up to 2015 and instructed the ministries of Finance, Urban Development, Commerce and Industries and presidential advisor for financial, control and inspection led by Justice Minister to finalize the draft in a week and prepare it for implementation.
The Minister of Economy presented the Economic Policy of Afghanistan and stressed that the draft has been confirmed at the meeting of Council of Ministers on 18/10/1391.
The meeting asked the government organs to express their views regarding to the policy in order to bring amendment to the policy and submit the rectified text to the High Economic Council.
