Malaysia To Help Afghanistan’s Pursuit Of Economic Self-Sufficiency And Foreign Investment

The exclusive business delegation aims to facilitate meaningful business discussions, project development, and partnerships between Malaysian businesses and Afghan counterparts.

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The Organisation of Malaysian Afghanistan Initiative (OMAI) has extended an exclusive invitation to Malaysian businesses to join a distinguished business delegation to Kabul, Afghanistan.

This invitation comes at a time when Malaysia seeks to explore untapped markets and foster valuable connections in Afghanistan’s evolving business landscape.

The delegation is scheduled to take place from 15 to 21 December.

The invitation highlights various sectors for Malaysian businesses to participate in, including:

water supply and management systems
sewerage systems
women’s education
mineral exploration and extraction
Islamic financial systems
food security development
textile clothing industry revival
low-density power supply systems
5G telecommunication systems
land hub development
trading

The move to strengthen ties between Malaysia and Afghanistan comes amidst evolving relations between the two countries.

Malaysian businesses must pay a delegation fee of RM20,000 per participant to participate in the delegation.

This all-inclusive fee covers business seminars, meeting arrangements, one-on-one discussions, return flight tickets, hotel accommodation, meals, and transportation in Kabul.

Limited spaces are available for the delegation, and early booking is recommended to secure a spot. Interested participants are requested to RSVP soon and specify their sectors of interest.

For further information and inquiries, interested parties can contact Yusoff Bachek, secretary of OMAI, at +6012-3873858.

Since 2003 the Taliban has sent about 56,000 young men to Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Turkey, Qatar, South Korea and to Western Europe to learn in all fields such as advanced technology, agriculture, medicine and engineering.

Currently there is a renaissance in Afghanistan https://t.co/YjbcYueKbQ
— HIS Prince Shahbaz Pahlavi (@Pahlavi49039500) May 23, 2023

Malaysia’s Support for Taliban-Led Government in Afghanistan

While many countries have expressed concerns about the Taliban’s human rights record and governance practices, Malaysia has chosen to engage with the Afghan government and explore business opportunities.

According to a report by Utusan Malaysia, Malaysia’s support for the Taliban is based on religious grounds.

The report states that Malaysia sees the Taliban as a Muslim government that upholds Islamic principles and values, which aligns with Malaysia’s own Islamic identity and values.

While some argue that Malaysia’s support is based on religious and ideological grounds, others view it as a pragmatic move to expand Malaysia’s economic presence in the region.

Afghanistan’s strategic location at the crossroads of Central and South Asia offers access to a vast market with tremendous growth potential.

The land-locked nation’s rapid economic growth also presents numerous business opportunities across various sectors.

Humanitarian Aid and Reconstruction Efforts

Malaysia has been planning to help the Afghan people under the Taliban interim government in two stages.

The first stage involves extending humanitarian aid, while the second consists in engaging with businessmen and professionals to assist in the mid-term reconstruction of the war-torn country.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has also expressed willingness to cooperate and improve ties with Afghanistan despite the country’s repressive policies towards women and girls.

Regardless of the reasons behind Malaysia’s support, it is clear that the country has been actively engaging with the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan.

Earlier this year, a Taliban delegation visited Indonesia and Malaysia to seek support to establish ties with the international community.

The visit was part of the Taliban’s efforts to secure the support of Muslim countries, including those in Southeast Asia.

US Freezes Afghan Government Reserves in Response to Taliban Takeover

After the fall of Kabul in the 2021 Taliban offensive, the United States froze a significant portion of the Afghan government’s reserves, which were primarily held in US bank accounts.

The freezing of these reserves was a measure taken by the US government in response to the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.

With the reserves frozen, the Afghan government has limited access to funds needed to address pressing economic challenges, such as paying salaries, funding public infrastructure projects, and providing essential services to the population.

Is it not ridiculous that poor starving Afg should be robbed of what is rightly theirs only!! This is not just “frozen assets,” it is the entire reserve of the Afghan central bank. This act will destroy whatever remained of the formal Afghan economy!! https://t.co/CPN3ZBQWum
— iqra (@wdym_iqra) February 12, 2022