KABUL, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's exports have risen by 32 percent as part of the government and the international community's efforts to prioritize economic growth and development in the poverty stricken country, a local online news agency Wadsam reported Saturday.
"The country's economic growth, through strengthening the private sector, is one of the government priorities, which includes the support of local investors in order to improve the capacity of domestic products to increase exports and substitution of imports," the report quoted Afghan ministry of commerce and industries as saying.
Those, among the main factors behind the hike in the exports, were establishment of air corridors, implementation of National Exports Strategy, holding trade shows in and abroad the country, and building transit routes with China, Kazakhstan, India and Uzbekistan, according to the report.
The move comes as in addition to the worsening security, the country has seen its rapidly deteriorating economy in recent years. As a least developed country, Afghanistan is hugely dependent on aid.
