Speech of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund at the Inauguration Ceremony of the Third Ghori Cement Production Plant in Baghlan Province
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
To the distinguished officials of Baghlan Province and the Ghori Cement Plant, esteemed Mujahideen leaders, media representatives, and respected guests:
Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.
It is a great pleasure that today, responding to an essential need of our era, we take another important step toward cement production and self-sufficiency in our beloved country with the inauguration of a new production facility of Ghori Cement in Baghlan Province.
First and foremost, I congratulate all citizens of the country on the inauguration of this important plant.
Distinguished attendees!
Industrialization lies at the forefront of every nation’s major objectives. Countries that possess production factories in various fields not only meet domestic needs, but due to surplus production, also export to other countries. Production facilities play a fundamental role in increasing national output, boosting national revenue, and strengthening the national economy.
The inauguration of the new Ghori Cement production plant in Baghlan marks an important economic step toward achieving self-sufficiency in cement production. It reduces reliance on foreign imports, contributes to industrial development, prevents foreign currency outflow, creates employment for a significant number of citizens, and represents progress toward a more industrialized Afghanistan.
The total value of this factory is estimated at 86.8 million USD, and all operations are being carried out by the National Development Corporation. The new Ghori Cement plant has a daily production capacity of 5,000 tons, making it one of the major industrial projects in the country, and its full implementation will be completed within 18 months.
With the commencement of operations at this important plant, a large portion of domestic cement demand will be met within the country. Reliance on imports will decrease, outflow of foreign currency will be prevented, thousands of direct and indirect jobs will be created, and it will significantly facilitate and accelerate construction projects, stabilize cement prices, and support the country's industrial and economic growth overall.
Distinguished attendees!
Afghanistan has long been dependent on foreign imports, and a large portion of our national budget is spent on imported goods. Meanwhile, imported products are not only costly, but also unreliable and unsustainable sources of supply. Therefore, projects of this nature within the country can gradually reduce our dependence on foreign imports and lead us toward a productive, manufacturing-based Afghanistan. Praise be to Allah, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has paid special attention to this area.
In the end, I strongly urge all stakeholders involved in this plant to carry out all related tasks with complete sincerity and in full accordance with accepted standards, and to avoid any form of operational or technical negligence.
Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.