Railway Development A Key To Afghanistan’s Economic Development
A robust railway system will improve Afghanistan's economy
In order for Afghanistan to be able to increase the shipments of fuels, foods, construction material and various goods, it needs to have an extensive railway system.
A railway system will reduce Afghanistan’s isolation, as well as decrease Afghanistan’s dependence on Pakistan in order to get goods in and out of the country. Moving goods through the Pakistani border right now is risky and dangerous.
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The good news is that workers are already laying tracks across northern Afghanistan’s rolling grassland. The project is being funded by the Manila-based Asian Development Bank. This railway line will not only help to develop the north, it will also further link Afghanistan, Central Asia and Iran. Cities in the north like Mazar-e-Sharif can become major Afghan transport hubs. There is a lot of gas, oil and coal in northern Afghanistan, and a robust railway system can help move this material to be exported and bring in millions if not billions in revenues one day.
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Just last week, Afghanistan’s Finance Minister, Omar Zakhilwal, announced that the Japanese government has promised $1 billion to further develop Afghanistan’s railway system. The plan is to build a railway line from Balkh in the north to Herat province in the west.
May 9, 2010
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4 Comments
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Reconstruction and Development
4 Responses
dear sir,
we are the team leader constructors of aghanistan so this is a good news for all afghanis & for us.
if there comes out a construction project we will be very happy if you people invite us to participate in bid.
thanks
I have one project to making factory in the Afghanistan. If you know some organization or person to improve this project. I would like to mention this factory is so important for our homeland.
thanks
If a rail system does come, I am praying that the project happens on a different level (quality control and fiscal accountability) that what we are seeing with some road construction. I also hope that Afghanistan will attend carefully to such counsel from countries who know how to build and operate efficient and safe rail systems – Japan, most of continental western Europe, and perhaps even places like Russia and Uzbekistan would be better advisors (I would guess) on how to build a rail system than would Iran, Pakistan, India or the USA.
A rail sytem could be a great thing – I hope it comes, and I hope it works! I would buy a ticket – would love to have another way to travel from Kabul to the north.
Happy to hear about it.
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