US extends GSP facilities to 5,700 Afghan items

Almost 6,000 Afghan export products will be awarded duty-free status in United States markets under a special trade privilege, Afghanistan's Commerce Minister Sayeed Mustafa Kazimi announced Wednesday.

Some 5,700 "products manufactured and originated in Afghanistan can enter US markets directly duty-free," Kazimi told a press conference.

The concessions, announced by Washington Monday, are awarded under the generalised system of preferences (GSP), which grants duty-free treatment to specified products from more than 140 designated developing countries and territories.

"This GSP designation marks an important step in Afghanistan's return to the world trading system," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer announced in a statement.

"Increased opportunities for trade will help Afghanistan build an economy that can offer its citizens a more prosperous future."

Afghan exports were close to disappearing over the past two decades of war and drought, Kazimi said.

"That was mainly due to the quantity of Afghanistan's merchandise and a lack of capability to compete in a global market on a global scale."

Kazimi predicted increased production, serious investment and economic expansion as a result of the US trade privileges.