Hands behind Mes Aynak contract!

Nine years have passed since signing the contract, and millions of people from this territory hoped to profit from its resources. Politicians and Mafia behind this project, pinned their greedy eyes to its unearned income money.
Although, 9 years have passed from mining contracts of Mes Aynak, but there is no sign of effort to start practical work in this mine.
But in recent days, the report of “integrity watch Afghanistan” considers the accord as the worst contract in the mining sector of the country.
On Saturday, Sayed Ikram Afzali, head of the entity in an interview with (Radio Azadi), said that the government of Afghanistan should talk with Chinese government to eliminate the exclusive, and pave the way for terminating Mes Aynak contract, and put for voluntary through competitive process again or pave the way for practical work in this site, by changing the conditions of the contract.
American TV (CNBC) also recently reported that China’s scheme was suspended for unearthing Mes Aynak mine.
It has come in the report that Mes Aynak project faced challenges, when general head of MCC Company was fired from China’s communist party on corruption charges.
The mining and enrichment contract of Mes Aynak was signed between ministry of mine and petroleum of Afghanistan and a Chinese company, Metallurgical Group Corporation (MCC) in 2008. According to the terms of the contract, the Chinese company will invest three billion dollars on the project, in the first phase and then the investment will increase to five billion dollars.
They should pay $400 million tax to Afghanistan annually and $800 million will be paid to the government of Afghanistan as a guarantee.
In addition, the company had agreed to use Afghanistan’s coal for mining and to create a thermal factory to generate power with a capacity of 400 MW in Bamiyan and will build a residential town, containing water, school and mosque.
Other provisions of the contract was that the gold extracted from the mine belong to Afghanistan as well as providing work for 8000 Afghans at the first phase and secondly about 15000 jobs be created.
But about the biding process of Mes Aynak mine, a lot of criticism were posed from the very beginning. When mining of Mes Aynak was signed with a Chinese company, some believed that this is a political decision and the government of Afghanistan wants to use China’s influence on Pakistan and make that country to fight with Taliban.
“When Mes Aynak contract was signed, then a confidentiality agreement was also signed by that time administrators or leaders. We were unable to publish the details of Mes Aynak contract, according to the agreement.” Jawad Omar, who was a spokesman for Afghanistan’s ministry of mine told (DW).
A spokesman for Afghanistan’s ministry of mine accepts that there is a futility, existing such an agreement, that it is the responsibility of former leadership of the ministry.
Mahmud Karzai, brother of Hamid Karzai, former president of Afghanistan was also one of those, who had role in the investments.
Now, with all ups and downs that have gone during the nine years of the contract, Can we be hopeful that current government of Afghanistan led by Mr. Ghani, pave the way for implementation of the contract?
Tariq Qasimi – (DID) news agency
Translated by:  Taher Mojab