Afghanistan Economic Update, October 2012
Afghanistan is in a state of transition which involves the handover of security responsibilities from international forces to the Afghan government. However, at present, Afghanistan's economy is growing strongly as a result of an exceptionally...
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Format: | Report |
Language: | English en_US |
Published: |
Washington, DC
2017
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/608401468197938061/Afghanistan-economic-update http://hdl.handle.net/10986/27070 |
Summary: | Afghanistan is in a state of transition
which involves the handover of security responsibilities
from international forces to the Afghan government. However,
at present, Afghanistan's economy is growing strongly
as a result of an exceptionally good harvest this year. Real
gross domestic product (GDP) growth will most likely close
the calendar year at 10 percent, a significant increase from
last year's 5.8 percent. The services and construction
sectors continue to grow strongly, driven mostly by
continued high military spending and external aid. The good
harvest has also brought Afghanistan to near food
self-sufficiency and slowed inflation to 4.6 percent in July
2012 (y-o-y). Progress in the mining sector is clouded by
uncertainty about a new mineral law. While investor interest
in the sector is encouraging, gaps in the legal and
regulatory framework of the sector do not provide sufficient
confidence to investors to start operations or make firm
commitments. A new low is in preparation but has also been
heavily debated. Afghanistan's economic growth
prospects for 2012 give cause for optimism. Although real
GDP growth slowed, to around 7 percent in 2011 (from 8
percent the year before), due mainly to unfavorable weather
and a poor harvest, the agriculture sector rebounded
strongly in 2012 and is expected to boost economic growth to
over 10 percent. Agriculture is an important but volatile
component of economic growth. |
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