Türkiye could be establishing a strategic bridge with Afghanistan and the developed world, according to the country’s retired Ambassador Hüseyin Avni Botsalı.
Afghanistan found itself deprived of international humanitarian assistance when U.S.-led NATO forces withdrew in August 2021, and the Taliban took control of the country. For years the lack of aid needed to ensure the welfare of the population in war-torn Afghanistan was economically devastating for the country.
The Taliban government has yet to earn the official recognition of the international community and while debates continue over the political situation, some experts argue economic investments in Afghanistan could be lucrative in the long term.
Taliban authorities, in the meantime, often stress security in Afghanistan has been established and assure they would prove every facilitation as they call on businesspeople around the world to invest in the country.
In the Taliban era, Afghanistan is undergoing a virtual de-escalation period, which contains major opportunities for Turkish businesspeople, Botsalı told Anadolu Agency (AA) in an interview on the sidelines of a trade and industry expo in the capital Kabul.
Türkiye could play a key role in the power vacuum left in the wake of Western nations and major international companies departing Afghanistan, said Botsalı, who once served at the Afghanistan office of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
"The people, the entrepreneurship sector, small and mid-sized businesses here are just breathing. Business executives also want Afghanistan’s economic bonds with the world to revive. They need help with how that can happen. In that sense, Türkiye has the opportunity to form a strategic bridge between the developed world and Afghanistan," Botsalı explained.
Referring to a "great interest" for Türkiye from the Afghan people, the former diplomat said any investment by Turkish companies would give them a competitive advantage in the future.
There’s a readily available climate in Afghanistan for Turkish entrepreneurs and investors to increase their forward-thinking investment and planning activities, Botsalı pointed out, emphasizing that Afghanistan’s doors are "wide open for Türkiye."
"Security has visibly improved in the country for over two years now. You can easily walk down the street. People don’t harass you and every door you knock opens. In that regard, Turkish businesspeople could utilize this conjecture in Afghanistan and have a real advantage by situating here in this environment free of competition," Botsalı noted.
Acknowledging "certain shortcomings" in the banking sector, Botsalı argued these weren’t problems that "cannot be overcome" and informed that local authorities were making a "serious effort" to enable investors.
A handful of Turkish businesspeople invested in Afghanistan by seizing the opportunity, Botsalı said and called on Turkish investors to "come and do business here."
He argued Afghan authorities were "doing everything they can because they’re aware of their restrictions. I believe Turkish investors could show the flexibility Afghanistan’s conditions demand and that some problems here could be overcome with local solutions."
Besides neighboring countries, Türkiye is being represented at the Imam Abu Hanifa International Trade and Industry Fair, held for the second time in Kabul this year, as both a company with energy investments and the Foreign Economic Relations Board’s (DEIK) on the level of Turkish-Afghan Business Council, Botsalı added. The fair is hosting hundreds of small or medium-sized companies, as well as women entrepreneurs.
"Thousands of people visiting this fair only highlights that the need for peace, stability and normalization in Afghanistan has reached its peak," Botsalı said.
NATO member Türkiye maintained its embassy in Afghanistan after Western countries withdrew following the Taliban takeover and has urged those countries to step up engagement. The country said it would fully work with the Taliban only if they form a more inclusive administration.