Ivo Toniut Services Afghanistan

My life has changed in the last year due to a cancer "given" by Kabul air pollution. I had to leave my beloved Afghanistan but I will soon be back.  Many say I'm crazy to continue my life in one of the poorest and most dangerous countries in the world, and that in a situation like mine, going back to Afghanistan would be like committing suicide. But it's not exactly like that. Cancer has made me a person with disabilities, and I have to undergo cancer follow-up for the next 5 years - My mission [our Mssion] will therefore be to raise awareness about the absolute need to create Cancer Centers in Afghanistan where every Afghan can be diagnosed, treated, and helped. Especially for those who like me, despite having won a first battle against this evil, have to adapt to a new way of life. IN AFGHANISTAN, tens of thousands of PEOPLE DIE FROM CANCER each year! And few people in the World know about this. I'll be there in Afghanistan to make it clear to the whole

RIP

In some Muslim countries the production of wine is allowed. If this were possible also in Afghanistan, I believe in the country there would be excellent vineyards where to produce excellent wine to be exported all over the world. And it would also give way to an amazing Agritourism. Yes you got it very well: Agritourism! Because Agritourism is an emerging form of tourism that would undoubtedly lead to rural development as well as complementing other forms of Tourism existing in the amazing  BEAUTIFUL AFGHANISTAN ! Good wine is made from good grapes! and Afghanistan has the best grapes in the world!

Historically, Afghanistan has been at the heart of major trading routes, among them, the fabled Silk Road, which is one of many that have served the region throughout the centuries. Over the past ten years, the Afghan people have steadily progressed towards peace and prosperity, and its economy has seen meteoric growth. Once again, Afghanistan is emerging as a central hub for trade as the economies of Central and South Asia continue to grow and become increasingly integrated into the global economy. There are three main reason to invest in Afghanistan: Afghanistan is a rapidly emerging market of strategic importance close to some of the largest and fastest-growing markets in the world. Afghanistan is strategically located between the energy-rich republics of Central Asia and the major seaports in South Asia providing a key transit route for central Asian oil and gas to markets in South Asia as well as overseas. Also, Afghanistan has access to markets of neighboring countries inclu

According to the Afghanistan National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA), reported that over USD 7 million worth of hunting guns are imported into Afghanistan every year.  These guns are mainly imported into Afghanistan from China, Iran, Italy, Russian Federation, Pakistan, Slovakia and Turkey. Customs rules & tariff guidelines say that 16% of the customs duty is imposed on the authorized guns. Companies holding import/export licenses can import hunting guns into the country. In the 'Latif Market' in central Kabul, imported guns are sold at prices ranging from 150 to 1500 dollars.

Two companies of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and one of the largest Chinese dried fruits & nuts importers signed a strategic cooperation agreement based on which the Chinese side will buy Afghan pine nuts for an estimated value of USD 2.1 billion. Invest in AFG's pine nuts processing factories 😉

With the financial support of World Bank Group, will be built a 58.6-MW gas-to-power plant in Afghanistan's northern Balkh province. The new plant will supplement energy consumed in Afghanistan's major urban hubs of Mazari Sharif, Jalalabad and the capital Kabul.

# InvestInAFG With an investment of over US$ 50,000,000, twenty new factories have been established in Herat's Industrial Park over the past eight months. Most of the factories are operating in the areas of food production and construction materials. About 300 factories are currently active in the province’s Industrial Park in the areas of food production & dairy , construction materials & marble ; and if the Government will provide enough electricity, 25 more factories could be established soon in the province.

Only the right choice of your local business partner can lead you to success in Afghanistan. Whatever business you want to do in Afghanistan, choose your local partner among women-led companies that have multi-ethnic staff.

Farmers in the Herat province of Afghanistan expect to harvest more than 18 tons of saffron this year.  About 7,000 hectares of land were planted with saffron bulbs and the 'good weather' caused the harvest to double compared to last year, which was between 9 and 10 tons.

There are areas in Afghanistan unaffected by terrorist groups; with a lot of beautiful places to visit that are totally safe for tourists, where you can enjoy Afghan hospitality, special traditions, gorgeous views & panoramas. And let's not forget the exquisite Afghan dishes accompanied by some of the tastiest fruits in the world.  Yeah! it's really worth investing in the tourism sector of Afghanistan.  😉 And as soon as peace is achieved, millions of tourists from all over the world will visit this beautiful land, and your investment will be a great success! 😉 #InvestInAFG Follow me on Twitter @IvoTONIUT

Germany has pledged 6.2 billion Afghanis in aid to Afghanistan to help the country strengthen good governance, sustainable economic development and municipal infrastructure. An agreement to the effect was signed by State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development Martin Laeger and Finance Minister Dr. Mohammad Humayon Qayoumi. The aid would be provided by the end of 2019 as Afghan-German Cooperation projects, bringing the total German commitment to Afghanistan this year to... >>>READ MORE @ https://heartofasia.af/germany-pledges-6-2b-afghanis-in-aid-to-afghanistan/

Most Afghans do not realize they can now shop online, pay their utility bills, send and receive funds, collect their salaries or even buy overseas goods and have them shipped home - all through their mobile handsets, using a revolutionary technology: mobile money. Worldwide, the mobile money industry processes over $1.3 billion a day. A 2018 GSMA state-of-the-industry report counted 272 live mobile money services across 90 countries. The report stated that mobile money is playing an increasingly vital role in financial inclusion for three-quarters of low-to middle-income countries, a big step in a world where 1.7 billion people still lack access to safe, reliable, and convenient individual financial services. In Afghanistan, several mobile money providers are operational, with Roshan being the first when it launched M-Paisa in 2008. Roshan has been an innovator in bringing mobile money to Afghanistan and leveraging the technology to improve lives and drive the adoption of the technol

See also:  In Kabul, terrorism isn’t the only thing threatening people’s lives

The Minister of Agriculture of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Mr. Durani, on Tuesday 29 October attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a milk processing factory in Kabul which will have the capacity to process 80,000 liters of milk in 24 hours. Over USD 3.3 million has been invested in the project, which is funded by International Fund For Agricultural Development, IFAD, with technical support of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The factory is located in the Reeshkhor area in western Kabul.

A wind energy project will be launched close to Turkmenistan’s border in Afghanistan's western province of Herat .  The project cost is about USD 40 million; 8 turbines will be connected in the project, generating 30 megawatts of DC electricity, and when converted to AC they can generate about 25 megawatts of electricity, and this power will be distributed to Herat city and to Herat’s industrial park and business centers in the province. After the project is completed, a foreign company will sell the generated electricity for 20 years to Afghanistan and after that the project will be fully handed over to the Government of The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. According to statistics, Afghanistan is capable of generating 68,000 megawatts of wind power, but currently only 0.3 megawatts of wind power is produced in Herat.

A lot of beautiful places to visit,  gorgeous views and panoramas. Follow me @IvoTONIUT

Agricultural officials said that the pomegranates yield has increased by 40 percent in the province. Balkh Agriculture Director Zabihullah Zobin said that farmers have harvested more than hundred tons of pomegranates this year. He said this quantity was exported to India, Pakistan, UAE and other countries. Zobin said that farmers created pomegranate orchards on 3,600 hectares of land in Khalm district of Balkh province. “We have registered that our farmers have earned 400,000 Afs from an acre of land,” Zobin said. Mohammad Ishaq, a farmer in Khalm district of Balkh said that he gained more than 4,200 kg of pomegranates from an acre of land. “If you have an acre of land and grow pomegranates, it will give you 4,200K kg of pomegranates,” said Ishaq. The farmers who received training said that professional growing techniques and crop protection have positive effects on products. “We have three problems: one of them is water, another is disease, and the third one is that we don’t have co

Olive Oil Made in the I.R.Afghanistan On 26 August the Italian Cooperation has delivered an olive mill to the Nangarhar Valley Agriculture Corporation in Jalalabad, as foreseen by the regional project "Technical assistance and support to the Ministries in the agricultural sector with emphasis on olive production", Afghanistan component. The project aims to improve the olive sector, in particular the production of olive oil in the province of Nangarhar, which includes about 1500 hectares of olive groves, of which a good part is to be reactivated. From 19 to 25 October, concurrently with the beginning of the olive harvest, the Kabul office of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation organized the assembly and testing of the mill together with the training of Afghan personnel assigned to the use and maintenance of the plant. In this first phase of the season, when the olives have not reached full ripeness, the mill is working about 700 kg of olives per hour with an

There are over 2,500 hectares of fig-growing fields in Kandahar, Afghanistan. This year Kandahar farmers will produce 50 000 tons of figs. “We expect to export 3 percent of figs to Pakistan and the remaining amount to Indian markets,” officials from the Kandahar Chamber of Commerce said. Afghan fresh fruits are also exported to Germany and markets in the UAE.

Behind the dark curtain of a raging Taliban-led insurgency, Kabul’s six million residents are facing another deadly battle – against the city’s deteriorating air quality. In fact, for those struggling to breathe in the toxic air of Afghanistan’s capital city, the alarmingly high levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) amongst other pollutants, are no less dangerous than the deadly bombings that regularly occur in the city. There is very little data available but according to the World Health Organization (WHO) deaths due to environmental risks (of which Household Air Pollution, or HAP, caused by ‘dirty’ cooking and heating fuel is the major risk factor) constituted 26 per cent of all deaths in Afghanistan in 2016. In addition, it was estimated that HAP caused over 27,000 deaths that same year, while outdoor air pollution caused over 11,000 deaths. Breathing in dirty air not only causes and exacerbates asthma, but it can also lead to other respiratory conditions,

Cotton imports from Afghanistan into Pakistan have resumed officially with the round-the-clock opening of the Torkham crossing point, Pakistani textile millers say. With a shortfall of 4 million bales expected this year, Pakistani millers said they needed the vital crop to meet domestic demand. Businessmen said contracts for 1.2 million bales had been finalized, while talks were ongoing on concluding more agreements. Pakistan needs 4 million bales worth USD 1.5 billion to meet the textile industry’s demand. Imports from Afghanistan would help reduce the demand-supply gap. A representative of the Karachi Cotton Brokers Association, said mills had started panic buying due to reports of losses and slow arrivals.

Afghan Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI)says Afghanistan exported goods worth roughly 800 million Afghanis during last month via air corridors. 512 metric tons of commodities were transported to foreign countries in 83 flights through different air corridors. The exports are worth 10 million dollars (800 million Afghanis). Afghanistan exported 45 tons of good to European countries in 18 flights, 414 tons to India in 31 flights, and 26 tons to UAE in 14 flights. The rest of the exports were transported to UK, China, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. Samir Rasa, a spokesman to the MoCI, said that fresh and dry fruits, handcraft, vegetables, carpet and pelt were included in the exports.

The President of Afghanistan H.E. Ashraf Ghani said that the management of industry and production has been AFGHANIZED  and the government should become a partner in the private sector. Addressing a ceremony celebrating the “Industry Week” in the capital Kabul, Afghan president said that the activity of industry and the impact of their capital was tangible. “Four years ago, the management of industries was in the hands of foreigners, but today I see the absolute management of the Afghans, this is really a great progress.” He said the Afghanization of management in the industry and production showed that investors and industry workers provided a well-trained, perseverant and dignified workforce. “The government should remove the obstacles and become a partner of the private sector and industry – a real and long-term partner”, he added. The investment climate has changed in the last four and a half years in Afghanistan, and mutual trust and mutual respect between the private sector and

The Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Afghanistan (ACCI) said that news U.S. sanctions on Iran are one of the key challenges which threaten economic and trade activities through the Iranian sea port of Chabahar.  At least 50 containers of Afghan goods are ready to be exported through Chabahar port to Chinese and Indian markets, but the export of the goods has been disrupted due to problems in money transactions. Afghan and Indian banks are not able to transfer money through the port, said a representative of ACCI. “The US treasury should permit the World Bank and IMF so that we can open the letter of credits,” said the ACCI representative.

I wish a Happy and Peaceful #Ramadan to all my Afghan Friends & Colleagues and all Muslims around the World! #RamadanMubarak Ivo TONIUT #RamadanKareem

Representing 11 countries, the selected 16 chambers will each have the opportunity to present their innovative initiatives to the global network of chambers attending the 11th edition of the World Chambers Congress in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 12-14 June 2019. The finalists were selected from 76 submissions. Taking place in conjunction with the World Chambers Congress, the World Chambers Competition is the only award program of its kind to recognize pioneering projects undertaken by chambers from around the world. With more than 1,200 delegates from over 110 countries in attendance, the Competition provides the well-warranted visibility chambers deserve. Categories: Best Education and Training Project, which acknowledges chambers who are proving that investing in education and training can be crucial to the establishment, advancement and success of small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and foster economic development and job creation. Best SME and Entrepreneurshi

The acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum of Afghanistan, Ms. Nargis Nehan, said that the Afghan Government is expected to announce its position on the fate of Mes Aynak copper deposit in the near future and that Government will terminate the contract if the contractor is no longer willing to move forward work on the project. “The main issue on the project is that on one hand there are historic sites located at Mes Aynak which archaeologists say that there is a need for underground extraction on the site so that the historic relics are not harmed, but the contractor company says that this approach is not economically good. We are trying to convene a meeting in a month to resolve the problem. There are two options on the talks: either the company starts work or the contract will be terminated,” the Minister said. Ainak mine is located in Logar Province and it is the biggest copper mine in Afghanistan that has attracted a lot of foreign investors. Aynak copper deposit is considered o

The prices of Afghanistan’s saffron have gone up by $400 in each kilogram in local markets after the exports of the spice to international markets have seen a dramatic increase . Afghanistan harvested at least 14 tons of saffron last year and the amount is expected to increase this year, according to statistics by the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock of Afghanistan. Figures by the National Saffron Union, a private sector organization, show that the price of each kilogram of saffron in local markets was around US$500 ten months ago but now it has increased to US$900.

The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has issued a call for applications for scholarships offered by the Italian Government in favour of foreign nationals as well as Italians living abroad for academic year 2019-2020. The scholarships will allow the recipients to attend secondary education courses and research projects. Scholarships are a crucial means through which Italy promotes the exchange of knowledge, research and cultural cooperation abroad. Once again, the initiative is also open to Afghan citizens . Additional information on the educational institutions included in the program and on the procedure to be followed when applying can be found at https://studyinitaly.esteri.it/en/call-for-procedure . The deadline for applications, which are to be sent through the on-line platform "Study in Italy" (https://studyinitaly.esteri.it/) only, is set at 14:00 (CET) on 30th May 2019. >>> MORE INFO at https://ambkabul.esteri.it/

Italian Government signed an agreement with the UNESCO Kabul Office, represented by Masanori Nagaoka, for implementing a new 4.1 million Euros initiative in Bamyan, Afghanistan. The 3-year Program is aimed at supporting the Afghan Government in its efforts to protect and manage the archaeological and cultural landscape of the Bamyan Valley through an integrated approach that combines direct conservation actions along the main Buddha cliff with the preservation and valorization of their natural and cultural environment. Inscribed in the List of World Heritage in Danger since 2003, Bamyan’s Cultural Landscape contains important archaeological and historical sites, from the well-known Buddha statue niches, to the fortified settlements and fortresses of Shahr-i Zuhak and Shahr-e Gholgholah, as well as many shrines, caves and fortified houses. Bamiyan is also the tourist location most visited by Afghans with promising opportunities for the local economy. The Program includes three mai

Turkey which reportedly needs up to 300 tons of saffron a year will turn into a major customer of Afghanistan’s saffron, said Mr. Chinar of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).  Statistics show that Afghanistan produces 15 tons of saffron annually, most of which is produced in Herat province in the west of the country. Chinar said they will continue to remove the 30 percent tariffs on Afghanistan’s saffron. “We want to boost the market for Afghanistan’s saffron through Turkey. I hope that the saffron reflect its Afghan identity,” said Chinar. Officials from Afghanistan’s Saffron Producers Union said Turkey can play as an important bridge for exporting the product to the United States and European markets. “Removing customs charges will be helpful in this regard and it will be an achievement for saffron sector if it is implemented,” said Qudratullah Rahmati, deputy head of the Union. The Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Nasir Ahmad Durrani, meanwhile,