Afghan Exports Through Air Corridors To Total $100M

[Kailash Kumar]

Afghan Exports Through Air Corridors To Total $100M

By Zabihullah Jahanmal
01 DECEMBER 2018

Officials said government continues its efforts to inaugurate more air corridors in order to increase the country’s exports.

The Public Relations Office of the Senior Advisor to President Ashraf Ghani in Banking and Finance said that so far Afghanistan has exported over 4,400 tons of local products to world markets through air corridors which is valued at least $80 million.

Sameer Rasa, Head of Public Relations Office of Senior Advisor to the President in Banking and Finance, said the total exports to other countries through air corridors will increase to 5,000 tons of goods by the end of this fiscal year – December 21 – which will value up to $100 million.

“We continue our efforts to increase the number of flights. We want to come to an agreement with other airlines as well to increase the flights. And also we are working on enhancing goods packaging,” said Rasa.

Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) meanwhile said the air corridors are playing a vital role in increasing the export of agricultural and other domestic products of Afghanistan.

The ACCI deputy head Khan Jan Alokozay said the value of the local products will increase to 50 percent if they are exported through air corridors to world markets.

“The air corridors have benefited farmers as well, because investors have sold the Afghan products with higher prices in world markets and the prices have increase here,” Alokozay said.

An economic affairs analyst, Hasibullah Moahid, said that despite the vital role of the air corridors, government should accelerate efforts on expanding transit routes with other countries through land.

“Trade has grown well over the past few years, especially in the last few months and this is because of the air corridors. However, it can be a short-term achievement, but cannot be a long-term strategy for leading Afghanistan towards self-reliance,” he said.

Officials said the inauguration and use of air corridors has been a plan of the National Unity Government to hep Afghan investors to take their goods to the world markets in a shorter time.

According to Office of the Public Relations Office of the Senior Advisor to the President in Banking and Finance, so far, 80 percent of transit costs have been paid by government as subsidies.

The office says that more than $3 million was paid by government and private sector as transit costs for the goods which have been sent to world markets through air corridors.

The first air corridor was opened between Afghanistan and India last year in June. This was followed by other air corridors between Afghanistan and Turkey, China, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan.

https://www.tolonews.com/index.php/business/afghan-exports-through-air-corridors-total-100m

 

[Theparadox]

Pakistan meddles by blocking 5 Indian flights to Afghanistan

Pakistan for the fifth time in a month blocked Indian's flights to Afghanistan. The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) on five instances in December and January refused clearance for Indian cargo flights to fly through Pakistani airspace to the Afghanistan capital. The Indian Embassy in Pakistan has formally raised the issue with the Pakistan government.

PCAA denied permission to cargo flights of Indian carrier SpiceJet thrice in the last week of December and on January 11 and 14. This is a violation of global civil aviation norms and direct meddling in the India-Afghanistan Air Corridor that the two countries opened in June 2017.

The Ministry of External Affairs raised the matter with the Pakistani government through a note verbale, which is considered a formal, third-person letter from one country to another raising a request or conveying formal information.

Pakistan has for decades blocked land access between India and Afghanistan. Even with the establishment of the air corridor between the two countries despite its opposition, Pakistan only allowed the transport of exports from Afghanistan to India while blocking cargo headed the other way.

Pakistan's strategic doctrine considers Afghanistan its backyard and Islamabad is deeply resentful of Indian cooperation or even mere presence in Afghanistan. Kabul on the other hand has repeatedly requested access to India through Pakistani territory in a bid to step up exports and bolster its battered economy.

India on the other hand has expanded its activities in the region, especially in the area of connectivity. The Chabahar Port on Iran's southern Makran Coast has seen significant investment and development from India, and was the portal for multiple shipments of wheat from India to Afghanistan starting in October 2017.

New Delhi sees Chabahar as a key point in its connectivity not just with Iran and Afghanistan but with all of Central Asia. India, Iran and Afghanistan have also signed agreements to jointly develop a rail corridor between Chabahar, Zaranj, Delaram and Hajigak, which could then theoretically be used to link to the landlocked Central Asian countries.

Chabahar Port is an irritant for Pakistan not just because its gives India a route into Afghanistan and Central Asia, but because it is just 72 km of coastline away from Gwadar. Pakistan harbours sky-high dreams and hopes for Gwadar Port, which has been built and developed using Chinese money, manpower and management under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

https://www.dnaindia.com/india/repo...cking-5-indian-flights-to-afghanistan-2711310

Everyone knows pak don't want to see Afghanistan developed, well anyways chabahar is up and running.

 

[maximuswarrior]

Pakistan meddles by blocking 5 Indian flights to Afghanistan

Pakistan for the fifth time in a month blocked Indian's flights to Afghanistan. The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) on five instances in December and January refused clearance for Indian cargo flights to fly through Pakistani airspace to the Afghanistan capital. The Indian Embassy in Pakistan has formally raised the issue with the Pakistan government.

PCAA denied permission to cargo flights of Indian carrier SpiceJet thrice in the last week of December and on January 11 and 14. This is a violation of global civil aviation norms and direct meddling in the India-Afghanistan Air Corridor that the two countries opened in June 2017.

The Ministry of External Affairs raised the matter with the Pakistani government through a note verbale, which is considered a formal, third-person letter from one country to another raising a request or conveying formal information.

Pakistan has for decades blocked land access between India and Afghanistan. Even with the establishment of the air corridor between the two countries despite its opposition, Pakistan only allowed the transport of exports from Afghanistan to India while blocking cargo headed the other way.

Pakistan's strategic doctrine considers Afghanistan its backyard and Islamabad is deeply resentful of Indian cooperation or even mere presence in Afghanistan. Kabul on the other hand has repeatedly requested access to India through Pakistani territory in a bid to step up exports and bolster its battered economy.

India on the other hand has expanded its activities in the region, especially in the area of connectivity. The Chabahar Port on Iran's southern Makran Coast has seen significant investment and development from India, and was the portal for multiple shipments of wheat from India to Afghanistan starting in October 2017.

New Delhi sees Chabahar as a key point in its connectivity not just with Iran and Afghanistan but with all of Central Asia. India, Iran and Afghanistan have also signed agreements to jointly develop a rail corridor between Chabahar, Zaranj, Delaram and Hajigak, which could then theoretically be used to link to the landlocked Central Asian countries.

Chabahar Port is an irritant for Pakistan not just because its gives India a route into Afghanistan and Central Asia, but because it is just 72 km of coastline away from Gwadar. Pakistan harbours sky-high dreams and hopes for Gwadar Port, which has been built and developed using Chinese money, manpower and management under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

https://www.dnaindia.com/india/repo...cking-5-indian-flights-to-afghanistan-2711310

Everyone knows pak don't want to see Afghanistan developed, well anyways chabahar is up and running.

Why beg for our land route when you have built an air corridor? Seems like everything is going fine LOL