Investment Opportunities in the Telecommunication and Technology Sector of Afghanistan

The telecommunication sector in Afghanistan is majorly operated by private companies. In order to properly regulate this sector, the Afghan government had undertaken serious efforts of promulgating rules that comply with international standards and made policies that open up the market for domestic and international companies.

The Afghan government’s efforts to provide the public with high-quality telecommunication services, and to pave the way for investment in this sector have earned it an award from the Global System for Mobile Telecommunication.

Despite ninety percent of Afghans having access to telecommunication services, the services are still expensive and poor in quality.  Thus the official of the Ministry of Telecommunication and Information Technology asserts that in order give over 15 million Afghans internet access by 2020, it is imperative to encourage and obtain foreign and domestic investment to set up the optic fiber network and other parts of this sector.

As part of the administrative efforts, the Ministry of Telecommunication and Information Technology of Afghanistan, in order to speed up the provision of telecommunication and internet services in this country, has prepared an “open access” policy.

This policy provides investment opportunities for domestic and foreign companies in establishing an optic fiber network, and internet service providing.  Furthermore, the policy works toward proper regulation of the industry and providing equal opportunities for all investors there within.

According to the officials of the Ministry of Telecommunication and Information Technology of Afghanistan, when Afghanistan connects to the internet network with China, through the Wakhan port, signing numerous contracts with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Pakistan and other countries, this country in the near future will turn into a focal point of telecommunications in Central Asia, South Asian, Middle East, and Eastern Asia.