The Afghan caretaker government’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has signed a US$145m contract for the construction of a cement plant for SAKO Afghan in eastern Logar province, according to a statement from the office of the acting deputy prime minister for economic affairs on Tuesday.
The Altamor plant, which will operate under a 30-year contract, is set to produce 2500tpd of cement, creating hundreds of local jobs. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mullah Hedayatullah Badri, acting minister of mines and petroleum, highlighted the government's goal of achieving self-sufficiency in cement production through strategic investments in the industry.
This contract is part of a broader initiative by the Afghan government to strengthen domestic cement manufacturing capabilities. Recently, the ministry has signed four major contracts totalling US$623m with both domestic and international companies to rebuild destroyed cement plants and construct new facilities across the country.
The development aligns with Afghanistan's efforts to reduce reliance on imports and foster economic growth in the war-ravaged nation, leveraging its substantial raw material resources to revive the construction sector. The Taliban have said that, to date, they have signed contracts for four major cement production projects valued at a total of US$623m with both domestic and foreign investors.
