Baradar lays foundation stone for $143m cement factory in Herat — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, has laid the foundation stone for the new Gulbahar Cement Factory in Zinda Jan district of western Herat province. According to reports, the factory will be built by the private sector at a cost of $143 million. It will have a production capacity of 3,000 tons of cement per day and is expected to create employment for around 5,000 people, directly and indirectly. In a statement, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs said Baradar described the construction of the factory as an important step toward achieving self-sufficiency in cement production. He said the factory would reduce Afghanistan’s dependence on imported cement, create job opportunities for Afghans and contribute to the expansion of construction activities. Baradar said manufacturing plants were essential for meeting domestic demand, increasing exports, boosting national revenues and promoting economic growth. He said Afghanistan was rich in natural resources and that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), by utilizing the country’s available resources, was working to rebuild its economic infrastructure. “From the perspective of contemporary economic relations, we view our country’s geopolitical and economic position as an economic and trade gateway. We have transformed our geographical borders into centers of trade and commercial relations and reduced the level of border-related risks…