On Tuesday, the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum signed a contract for the construction of a major cement production plant in the Altamūr region of Logar with a Chinese company that also has an Afghan partner.
Hedayatullah Badri, acting minister of mines and petroleum, stated during the contract signing ceremony that approximately $145 million will be invested in the plant, creating job opportunities for hundreds of local residents.
The acting minister said that this is the fourth major cement mining contract awarded to domestic and foreign companies. According to Badri, the Logar Cement Contracting Company will have the capacity to produce 2,500 tons of cement daily.
Hedayatullah Badri further said: “The mentioned company will invest approximately $145 million in establishing the plant and has the capacity to produce 2,500 tons of cement daily, thereby creating job opportunities for hundreds of youth in the country.”
Meanwhile, the head of the contracting company stated that the investment volume in the cement mine will be increased gradually while adhering to Afghan laws.
Wu Zidan, head of the Logar Cement Contracting Company, said: “We are not only considering making profits only, but we also consider the common goals for the local people and also we will be lawful to obey the laws and regulations of Afghanistan, and we are going to be contributer to the reconstruction of the new Afghanistan.”
“Our actions are not solely aimed at making profits but also focus on common goals and the well-being of local communities. We are committed to complying with Afghanistan’s laws and aim to participate in rebuilding a new Afghanistan.”
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum also announced that the Logar cement contract will last for 30 years. In the first phase, the contracting company will work on exploring the mine, followed by constructing the factory, and later commence cement production.
Homayoun Afghan, the ministry’s spokesperson, said: “The area of this contracted mine is approximately 51 square kilometers, classifying it among the large-scale mines, and the contract is set for 30 years.”
According to statistics from the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, since the return of the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan, private domestic and foreign companies have invested approximately $623 million in four major cement projects located in the provinces of Jawzjan, Herat, Parwan, and Logar.
