UNAMA promises loans for small businesses

KABUL (Pajhwok): Special Representative of the Secretary-General and UNAMA head Roza Otunbayeva has announced giving loans to Afghans for promoting small businesses in the near future.

She made the announcement at a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs Maulvi Abdul Kabir here on Tuesday, a government statement said.

Roza Otunbayeva said they had discussed attracting aid from donor countries and organisations to Afghanistan during her last foreign trip.

She acknowledged that UNAMA had received a part of necessary assistance for the upcoming winter.

She called border blockades by neighbouring and regional countries a loss for Afghanistan’s farmers and agricultural exports.

She asked the deputy premier to address the problem with relevant countries through negotiations.

The top UN diplomat also announced the mission would soon set in motion the process of providing people with loans to promote small businesses.

For his part, Kabir said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) viewed the UN mission as essential.

He promised the procedure for the High Commission for Counter-Narcotics (HCCN) would be finalised soon.

kk/mud