Afghanistan dangles lithium wealth in front of US leader
Government hopes to increase support from White House
KABUL // The Afghan government is trying to win the attention of United States president Donald Trump and gain greater support from Washington for its massive and untouched mineral wealth.
But tapping into that wealth, which includes lithium, the silvery metal used in mobile-phone and computer batteries, coal, copper and far more could be a long way off – despite its estimated value of between US$1 trillion and $3 trillion.
Security has worsened in Af- ghanistan over the past year, with Taliban insurgents seizing territory and inflicting increasing casualties on Afghan forces, and the regions with the greatest lithium deposits are too dangerous to enter.
Mr Trump’s policy on Afghanistan is unknown.
He has said little about America’s longest- running war, beyond saying on the campaign trail that he wished the US was not involved in Afghanistan.
But Kabul clearly hopes the promise of mineral wealth will entice Mr Trump into making a commitment.
“Afghanistan can be an appropriate place for US industry, and specifically the mining sector, to look at opportunities for investment” because so few potential deposits have been mined, said Mohammad Humayon Qayoumi, chief adviser to the Afghan president on infrastructure, human capital and technology.
“Afghanistan has always been interested in the US investing in many areas, specifically the mining area,” said Mr Qayoumi. “Within mining, there are some areas that are strategic materials such as lithium.”
President Ashraf Ghani spoke to Mr Trump in December, and they discussed the mineral wealth. “There was a quite good matter of interest from president Trump’s administration,” said Mr Qayoumi.
The leaders spoke again in February in talks focused on the security situation.
A White House official said the US saw sustainable economic development as “essential” to Afghanistan’s stability, including in mining sector. He said America would work with Afghan businessmen and officials on reforms that “enhance private sector development” and contribute to development. Wahidullah Shahrani, who served as Afghanistan’s mines and petroleum minister from 2010 to 2013, said the priority was for the ministry to clean up management of the mineral sector and draw up a plan.
The US can play a major role in helping that. “The government of Afghanistan right now doesn’t have either the financial or the technical resources,” he said.