Taliban Government Auctions Off Mining Rights
June 26, 2024—Nearly three years into reclaiming its rule over Afghanistan, the Taliban government is raising revenue auctioning mining rights to gems and critical minerals to the highest bidders.
The Islamic Taliban government has struggled economically and diplomatically since it took control of the country in August 2021. But since the beginning, its leaders asserted they have their own sources of income. Notably, the land is rich in gold, gemstones, metals, oil and gas, and minerals.
Mining Rights As Diplomacy
The Financial Times examined 128 contract sites, finding that more than half are developed or expanded. The paper notes that auctioning of mineral and gem rights might help the government form relations with other governments and raise billions of dol...