Can Afghanistan Lay a New Silk Road? By M. Ashraf Haidari

The people of Afghanistan are inching ever closer to reclaiming the title "Garden of Central Asia" for their country Afghanistan’s economy has been called a “virgin market.” Years of conflict left the country virtually untouched by foreign investment. However, since the fall of the Taliban, investors have found Afghanistan fertile territory, and the economy has grown 10 percent a year, on average, after an initial one-third leap in growth in the first post-Taliban year. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has increased each year, and it even doubled from 2005 to 2006. The World Bank predicts that in 2008 strong investment will boost Afghanistan’s GDP growth by 13%. The Afghan government has sought to capitalise on this newfound economic potential and has made every effort to accommodate international investment.

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Contributor: M. Ashraf Haidari
Published Date: March 27, 2008