[ad_1]
Kabul, Afghanistan – The Taliban government announced on Thursday that they would sign the third and final major contract to operate Afghanistan’s airports with United Arab Emirates-based GAAC Holdings, according to sources.
The contract will last for 10 years, Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Ghulam Jelani Popal told reporters at a news conference in Kabul. Reuters reports.
He added that the group has signed a contract with the UAE government-linked GAAC for ground services and security.
The agreements are known to help the Taliban ease their isolation from the outside world, no foreign country formally recognizes its government, and strict enforcement of sanctions would hamper the economy.
This will encourage major international airlines to return to Afghanistan, GAAC general manager and regional director Ibrahim Moarafi told reporters in Kabul.
“We believe this is a significant development,” he said, as quoted by Reuters. “We also believe this is a significant development as it will bring economic benefits in terms of job creation.”
The Taliban’s government remains an international pariah and not officially recognized, and the Taliban has approached regional powers including Qatar and Turkey to operate Kabul airport, landlocked Afghanistan’s main air link to the world, and more.
But sources told Reuters in July that after months of back-and-forth negotiations and at one point raising the prospect of a joint UAE-Turkey-Qatar deal, the Taliban decided in recent months to hand over the business entirely to the UAE.
Meanwhile, the Afghan Traders Council of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) welcomed the deals, saying the contract with UAE-based GAAC to provide air services is crucial to strengthening relations between Kabul and Abu Dhabi.
Council President Haji Obaidullah Sardar Khail said the contract will also address the issue of issuing UAE visas to Afghan citizens and businessmen.
“With the signing of this contract, foreign flights, including international flights, will start to fly to Afghanistan, so relations between Afghanistan and other United Arab Emirates will improve,” Sardar Haier said. TOLOnews quoted.
According to figures provided by the council, there are currently 300 Afghan businessmen operating in the United Arab Emirates and this contract will facilitate their travel.
“This contract is worth nearly $400 million. With the help of this contract, our youth as well as technical and professional employees will have jobs. Trade and investment between Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates will increase due to this agreement, ” said trader Jamal Nasir Ebadi.
Under the contract, in addition to enhancing the capabilities of Kabul airport staff, GAAC will purchase the tools needed for aircraft guidance.
[ad_2]
Source link