KABUL: Officials from Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) said on Wednesday that Afghanistan imports the bigger percentage of its goods through three of Iran’s ports.
According to the ACCI, Afghanistan imports goods worth $1.5 billion USD every year through Bandar Abbas, Imam Khumaini and Chabahar ports in Iran.
Chabahar port is closer to Afghanistan compared to the other two ports. However, ACCI spokesman Siyam Psarlai said less trade is done through Chabahar port due to the lack of facilities.
“The Chabahar port still needs more investment and also it requires Iran’s further attention,” Psarlai said.
“Airports need to be built at Chabahar port; the residency issue for investors should be addressed, railways should be built, schools should be built and all the infrastructural problems should be solved so that we can establish an office there,” he said.
He said that customs problems should also be addressed at Chabahar port.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Commerce and Industries said Tehran should pay more attention to the three ports so that Afghanistan can increase its trade volume.
“We continue our efforts to increase our trade affairs with the countries from which we import or export goods. We want to have closer trade relations with them,” the ministry’s spokesman Musafir Qopqandi told TOLOnews. He said Afghanistan’s exports have increased during recent years.
According to ACCI information, Iran has been the biggest trade partner of Afghanistan with an annual trade volume in the past two years of over $1.5 billion USD.
