In a move described by observers of the trade and economic situation as positive, the first commercial convoy containing food and fuel from Uzbekistan entered Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of the Afghan capital, Kabul, while food prices continue to rise significantly in Afghan markets.

While the Taliban has ordered the transfer of employee salaries in some Afghan ministries, Fitch has warned of a possible economic collapse.

An official in the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Investment told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, preferring to remain anonymous, that the first convoy entered Afghan territory, yesterday, Wednesday, through the Heirtan border crossing between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, and it contained foodstuffs and fuel.

The source considered the step “positive”, pointing out that “the continuation of importing the necessary needs and raw materials in an orderly manner, will contribute to improving the situation in the Afghan markets.”

The merchants described the step as very important. In this regard, one of the merchants in Kabul, Muhammad Rasul, told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the normalization of trade movement with Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan “has a great impact on the market in Afghanistan.”

He added that “the entry of the first commercial convoy from Uzbekistan to Afghanistan is a very positive step,” and he expected the matter to continue in this way, and for the “Taliban” to take care of this most important aspect, warning that Afghanistan’s trade is limited to Pakistan only, as it was several years ago.

Muhammad Rasool explained that prices in the Afghan markets “still rise a lot, and there are many reasons behind them, including the deterioration of the value of the Afghani currency against the dollar, and also the impact of trade movement at the crossings with countries in the region, specifically Central Asia, as well as the closure of banks and the suspension of commercial and economic movement in The country in general, also an influence.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance ordered the Kabul Bank, which is authorized to transfer the salaries of government employees, to transfer the salaries of the past month to the accounts of banking officials in a number of ministries, and ordered the ministry not to transfer the salaries of employees in some ministries, noting that it is awaiting a second decision.

The ministry confirmed, in a letter addressed to “Kabul Bank,” a copy of which was obtained by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, that the salaries of last month were transferred to the accounts of employees in the Ministry of Agriculture, Higher Education, Education and Health.

The salaries of employees in other ministries, including defense, interior, intelligence, economy and others, will not be transferred, but will remain suspended until the second order.

Warning of an economic collapse

In a related context, the global economic consultancy Fitch Solution said that the Afghan economy will likely collapse in the wake of the rapid withdrawal of US forces and the return of the Taliban movement to power, noting that foreign investment will be necessary to improve the situation in the country.

Fitch now expects the country’s real gross domestic product to shrink by 9.7%, with another 5.2% decline next year, after it had previously forecast 0.4% growth for this year, Reuters reported.

Analysts said, in a report issued by Fitch Solutions, the research body of the international credit rating agency, Fitch, that “the very turbulent way in which the American security forces left the country and the Taliban’s seizure of power will mean that the country will suffer from severe economic problems in the short term.” “.

They added, “The risks implied by these forecasts tend to tilt to the downside given that other economies that have faced similar types of political shocks have also led to institutional collapse.”