American geologists have reported that Afghanistan is sitting on $1 trillion of copper and lithium deposits, a new-found mineral wealth that marks the country as a hot spot for metal mining, reports The New York Times.
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Can Afghanistan take advantage of its resources?
Figuring out how to capitalize on its valuable mineral boon is a major challenge for Afghanistan. Getting a mining industry off the ground from scratch could take decades. Government capacity is also a factor, says Ali Mawji, diplomatic director of the Agha Khan Development Network, which does development projects in Afghanistan. “I think the critical thing is to ensure that the government has the right policy framework regulatory mechanisms and capacity to deal with private-sector requests and make use of them that’s in the interest of promoting the country,” he says.
Ismailimail 