‘BRI has potential to bring prosperity for Afghanistan’

Speakers say China, countries on BRI will engage Afghanistan through regional trade linkages

Speakers have said that China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has the potential to help bring peace and prosperity to Afghanistan with its economic and development approach.

They said that China and the countries on BRI will engage Afghanistan through regional trade linkages, development, and communications networks, creating opportunities for stability.

The speakers shared these views during a webinar on “How BRI can help Afghanistan: Views from the Globe,” organized by Friends of BRI Forum.

While moderating the session, In Zhejiang Media Group editor-in-chief Ke Ye said that the webinar aimed for the intellectual discourse on the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan and humanitarian help that countries on BRI can collaborate to support Afghanistan in an essence of shared humanity.

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Friends of BRI Forum co-founder Farhat Asif shared the forum has organized several conversations on the subject, including business, media, academic institutions linkages amongst 138 countries, and international organizations of the world.

Schiller Institute, Sweden Chairman Ulf Sandmark said that Afghanistan was in dire need of humanitarian aid especially ahead of the winter as about 90 per cent of people do not have access to proper healthcare, hence, the BRI can contribute to the towards food and health connectivity.

Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University Vice-Chancellor Dr Razia Sultana said that a stable Afghanistan was of global interest. On BRI Afghanistan can be a vigorous trade and business linkages with the global markets.

China, along with the regional countries, is helping to facilitate the dialogue process for an inclusive government in Afghanistan for peace in the country. Dr Igor V Khalevinskiy, Chairman of, Association of Russian Diplomats said that in Afghanistan humanitarian crises were imminent and the world needs to focus on collectively and BRI was a good option to do that.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2021.