KABUL: Afghanistan’s economy is forecast to moderate to 2.5% growth in 2018 and 2019 due to the challenging security and political situations in the country, says a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report. The government needs to attract higher levels of private investment to help boost economic growth, create more jobs, and reduce the country’s dependence on donor support.
“Despite major impediments, Afghanistan is working to increase its growth momentum, boost infrastructure development, and transform the country to a more services-driven economy,” said Samuel Tumiwa, ADB Country Director for Afghanistan. “ADB, as Afghanistan’s leading partner in infrastructure and regional cooperation, will continue to work alongside the government to ensure ADB projects make an impact in reducing poverty and encouraging growth.”
Domestic revenue collection rose by 11.2% to 169 billion Afghani ($2.43 billion) in 2017 and exceeded the target set under an International Monetary Fund Extended Credit Facility arrangement. Grants comprise an estimated 56% of budget revenue, or 15.6% of GDP. While government efforts have broadly succeeded in maintaining fiscal and external stability, efforts to set a budget for 2018 point to growing tension between, on the one hand, expanding security and development spending and, on the other, ensuring that financing arrangements are consistent with continued macroeconomic stability.
Meanwhile, domestic investment remained steady in 2017, equal to 18.5% of GDP. Private investment is estimated at only 8% of GDP in 2017, reflecting a lack of confidence in political and security conditions.
