Afghanistan’s $1 trillion mineral wealth: Taliban offering access to US investors? What is behind it? | Today’s news
Five years after the Taliban took full control of Afghanistan and forced US-led NATO forces to leave the country in 2021, Kabul is now seeking to improve bilateral relations with Washington. The Taliban-led government is now offering American investors access to the vast mineral wealth the country has to offer. In return, Kabul is pressing Washington to ease sanctions and release billions of dollars in frozen Afghan assets.
Taliban seek US investors for untapped mineral reserves
Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi told The Financial Times that the Taliban-led Afghan government was “absolutely” willing to welcome US investment in sectors such as mining, infrastructure, agriculture and trade. In an interview published on Monday (local time), Muttaqi said: “Relations between Afghanistan and the United States should not be evaluated through the lens of the last 20 years of war, but rather based on future cooperation.” He added that the country’s economic policy remains open.
The Taliban-led government reportedly hopes such proposals could pave the way for Washington to agree to lift international sanctions and release Afghan assets. However, Muttaqi did not specify whether the proposal had already been submitted to the White House.
Geological assessments conducted by the US and the former Afghan government indicate that Afghanistan possesses at least $1 trillion worth of largely untapped mineral resources, including deposits of copper, iron ore, niobium, cobalt, gold and lithium.
Taliban aims to improve relations with US, Trump shows little interest
US President Donald Trump has shown almost no willingness to engage with the Taliban. He had previously called for the return of Bagram Air Base, which Muttaqi rejected, saying that all military and civilian facilities were the property of the country.
After the 2021 Taliban takeover led to the withdrawal of US and NATO forces and the collapse of the US-backed Afghan government, the US president called the episode “the most embarrassing thing in our country’s history”.
Muttaqi also urged Washington to reopen the US embassy in Kabul, saying that security at the site had been ensured. According to Iran International, in a separate interview with the Japanese newspaper Kyodo News, Muttaqi called on Washington to abandon what he described as a confrontational approach towards the Taliban government.
The Taliban is expanding its diplomatic presence
Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have stepped up efforts to attract foreign investment, signing mining contracts worth more than $7 billion, including deals involving gold, precious stones and chromite. These treaties were signed with countries such as China and Iran.
In recent years, Kabul has expanded its diplomatic reach, and countries such as China, India, Iran, Qatar and several other Central Asian countries have opened channels with Afghan and Taliban officials. Last year, Russia officially recognized the Taliban government. It also concluded a military cooperation agreement with Afghanistan in May. Separately in June, the European Union (EU) held talks with representatives of the Taliban in Brussels about the possible return of migrants.
