The Middle Corridor guarantees peace and stability for long-suffering Afghanistan

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has historically, culturally, and ethnically been closely linked to almost all of the countries that comprise the Middle Corridor or the New Silk Road.

The northern region of present-day Afghanistan constitutes the southern portion of historical Turkestan and is populated by the same Turkmen, Uzbeks, Tajiks, and Kyrgyz as are found in the neighboring states of Central Asia. Furthermore, a notable proportion of Afghanistan's population and its educated elite are of Kyzylbashi ethnicity, specifically ethnic Azerbaijanis. They trace their lineage to the military and administrative elite of Afghanistan during the Safavid and Afshar dynasties when the country was a vassal state. Eastern Georgia was incorporated into these empires for a considerable length of time, during which Georgians served and settled in Afghanistan. Despite the assimilation of their descendants and the subsequent loss of their language, some retained memories of their origin and are still referred to as "Gurji," which is the Georgian term for Georgian.

Presently, China, on the one hand, and Central Asian countries, Azerbaijan, and Turkey, on the other, are endeavoring to "open" Afghanistan to the outside world and involve it in regional economic and transit projects. As a result, recently delegations from Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan jointly visited Afghanistan. The delegations were headed by Deputy Minister of Economy Sahib Mammadov from the Azerbaijani side and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Laziz Kudratov from the Uzbek side.

A trilateral meeting was held in Kabul between the heads of delegations from Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan and Afghanistan's Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Nuruddin Azizi.

During the trilateral meeting, the delegation engaged in discussions about a range of matters, including trade, investment, transportation, production of construction materials, geological exploration, and other issues.

"The primary subjects addressed were trade expansion, investment collaboration, partnership in the domain of transport and logistics, exploration of hydrocarbon and mineral resources, implementation of cement projects in northern Afghanistan, regional cooperation, optimization of the Silk Road, new initiatives in the field of railroads, and Afghanistan's accession to the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO)," Sahib Mammadov stated.

Those in attendance at the meeting in Kabul were provided with an overview of the mining sector in Afghanistan and the potential for investment in this sector.

Additionally, Turkey is taking measures to facilitate Afghanistan's integration into the global community. On May 21, 2024, Turkish Airlines, a state-owned airline based in Turkey, resumed flights to Afghanistan. Following a period of approximately three years during which air services were unavailable, the aircraft in question touched down at Kabul International Airport. At the event, Turkish Chargé d'Affaires in Kabul Cenk Unal posited that the resumption of Turkish Airlines flights to Afghanistan serves as a tangible manifestation of the expansion of amicable and historical ties between the two countries. In turn, representatives of the Ministry of Transportation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan stated that the resumption of Turkish Airlines flights demonstrates that the Turkish people support the Afghan people in all circumstances. They further urged other international airlines to resume flights, citing the long-established safety of Kabul airport.

China has demonstrated a notable interest in Afghanistan and is prepared to make tangible investments in the country. On July 24, 2024, the development of the world's second-largest copper deposit was officially inaugurated in Mes Aynak, situated approximately 45 km south of Kabul in Logar province. The event was attended by Chinese Ambassador Zhao Xing, accompanied by senior Taliban officials, other diplomats, businessmen, and engineers. "Economic and trade relations between the two countries are becoming increasingly close," stated Ambassador Zhao Xing.

China is the world's largest consumer of copper, accounting for over 50% of global production. The Afghan mine is therefore of critical importance to China's economy. It is estimated that Mes Aynak contains up to 450 million tons of copper ore, with a value between $50 billion and $80 billion.

In November 2007, a Chinese state-owned consortium presented a proposal offering $3.4 billion for a 30-year lease to develop the deposit. The ambitious plan, approved in 2008 by the government of then-President Hamid Karzai, called for the construction of infrastructure—including a power plant and a railroad line—to facilitate the extraction of unprocessed copper and its subsequent export.
However, the project was ultimately derailed due to the increasingly unstable security environment in the country. By 2014, China had withdrawn its personnel from Afghanistan and redirected its attention toward financing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

In the aftermath of the Taliban's return to power in August 2021, Afghanistan's newly appointed Minister of Mines and Industries spearheaded the resurrection of the Mes Aynak project. Ziad Rashidi, the head of the ministry's international relations department, convened meetings with representatives of the Chinese consortium, advocating for the restoration of the copper mine project following the initial 2008 plan.

Furthermore, the Sino-Afghan collaboration in mining encompasses a historical and cultural dimension. The same copper was mined two thousand years ago in central Afghanistan by the people who inhabited the region at the time. In the vicinity of the ancient mines are the ruins of ancient cities and settlements, which include the remains of monasteries, temples, and other artifacts. Additionally, evidence of Bronze Age settlements and a Zoroastrian fire-worshipping temple have been identified in the region. In light of the outrage that followed the Taliban's shelling of ancient Buddha statues in Bamiyan, approximately 215 km from Mes Aynak, in March 2001, Afghan authorities today pledged to prioritize the preservation of the area's historical heritage. "The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is endeavoring to safeguard historical artifacts and to utilize our deposits for the betterment of our people," stated Khairullah Khairkhwa, the acting Minister of Information and Culture.
The Mes Aynak copper site area possesses historical significance and is of particular value for tourism, handicrafts, and cultural development along the Silk Road. "I commend the Afghan government for its endeavors to safeguard historical sites and its dedication to the preservation of Mes Aynak artifacts at the national and international levels," stated Chinese Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism Li Kun, who was also present at the Mes Aynak mine launch ceremony.

Additionally, on July 28, 2024, less than a week later, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani met with the Chinese ambassador to reassure him of the safety of the Mes Aynak project.

However, Mes Aynak is merely one illustration of China's expanding political, strategic, and economic influence in a nation that has been largely overlooked by Western countries. In addition to copper, Afghanistan possesses considerable oil and gas reserves, as well as a variety of minerals, including iron ore, lithium, and rare earth metals. However, these resources remain largely untapped due to some factors, including political and economic instability, security concerns, a lack of infrastructure and skilled labor, and widespread corruption.

Access to Afghanistan's vast untapped resources of oil, gas, and minerals represents a significant interest for Beijing in Afghanistan. In 2023, the Taliban entered into a 25-year agreement with a Chinese oil and gas enterprise for the development of oil reserves in the Amu Darya basin. Subsequently, the Afghan government disclosed that a Chinese enterprise had expressed interest in investing approximately $10 billion in lithium production within the Afghan context.
Additionally, China has proposed the renovation of the Salanga Tunnel, a crucial transportation artery between Kabul and northern Afghanistan and Central Asia. These strategic infrastructure projects are fully aligned with Chinese President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to construct a global network of interconnected infrastructure to facilitate China's integration into the global economy.

The initial plan to link the Afghan part of the Belt and Road Initiative with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, thereby connecting Pakistan's Gwadar port to Central Asia, has encountered difficulties due to the political confrontation between Kabul and Islamabad. Nevertheless, Beijing is attempting to act as an intermediary between the two parties. In light of the evident interest of both Afghanistan and Pakistan in Chinese investment, it seems reasonable to posit that an understanding will be reached. Consequently, the possibility of establishing a connection between the Middle Corridor and the Indian Ocean via Afghanistan and Pakistan is becoming increasingly tangible.

Elbrus Mammadov,
Director of the Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkiye Strategic Partnership Information Support Centre

SR-CENTER.INFO