Kabul, Feb. 19: The Taliban administration will go ahead with plans to turn former foreign military bases into special economic zones for businesses, the acting deputy prime minister for economic affairs said in a statement on Sunday.

 Acting Commerce Minister told reuters in December that his ministry was working on a plan for former US bases and would present it for approval to the economic committee and cabinet, led by acting deputy prime minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.

“After detailed discussions, it was decided that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce should progressively take control of the remaining military bases of the foreign military with the intention of converting them into special economic zones,” Mulla Baradar said in the statement.

He said a pilot scheme would begin to replace the bases in the capital Kabul and northern Balkh province.

Afghanistan’s economy is struggling and aid agencies are warning of a grave humanitarian crisis after the Taliban take power in 2021 as foreign troops withdraw after 20 years of war.

The takeover cut development funding, froze foreign-held central bank assets and placed restrictions on the banking sector.

The Taliban administration’s decision last year to bar most female NGO workers from work prompted many aid agencies to partially suspend operations, while millions of people depend on humanitarian aid.

The Taliban have said they are focused on increasing economic self-reliance through trade and investment. Some foreign investors have expressed concern over a series of attacks, including one on a hotel popular with Chinese businessmen, claimed by the Islamic State.

However, the World Bank has also noted that exports have increased and that the Taliban administration has managed to keep revenues largely stable in 2022.-Agencies