Taliban Sign $20.24 Million Gold Mining Contract in Kunduz

The Taliban Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has signed a five-year gold mining contract in the Qala Zahal district of Kunduz province. The agreement, valued at $20.24 million, was signed with the domestic Subhan Momand company and Azerbaijan's Reef Group.

Minister of Mines and Petroleum Mullah Hidayatullah Badri signed the contract, which covers a mining area of 5.97 square kilometers. Under the terms of the agreement, the administration will receive a 30 percent royalty from the gold extraction process. The contract also includes a commitment to allocate $200,000 for social services and the creation of 100 jobs for the local population.

The signing ceremony was attended by the ambassadors of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan, reflecting the partnership between the domestic and foreign firms involved in the extraction project.

The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has highlighted that the project is expected to boost the local economy through employment and the funding of social services. However, some critics have raised concerns regarding a lack of transparency in the administration's mining contracts, questioning the processes by which such agreements are reached.