Afghanistan’s Mines Minister Presses Chinese Contractors to Fulfill Mes Aynak Copper Project Obligations

Afghanistan’s Minister of Mines and Petroleum, Mullah Hidayatullah Badri, convened a meeting in Kabul with Chinese Ambassador Zhao Xing and senior executives from the contracting companies overseeing the Mes Aynak copper mine. The discussions centered on addressing prolonged operational delays and the non-fulfillment of contractual obligations tied to the project.

During the meeting, Minister Badri emphasized that the responsible firms must strictly adhere to all agreed-upon terms and take immediate, practical measures to advance the development of the mine. He directed the contractors to align their operations fully with the signed agreement and ministry directives. In response, company representatives committed to accelerating their work and fulfilling their outstanding commitments.

While Hurriyat characterized the gathering as a summons initiated by the ministry to address stalling progress, Bakhtar News and RTA described it as a standard diplomatic and operational review. Regardless of the framing, all accounts confirm that the primary objective was to resolve bottlenecks preventing the project from moving forward.

The Mes Aynak copper deposit has faced significant delays since its original contract was signed more than eighteen years ago. Despite the long-standing agreement, large-scale extraction has yet to commence. The ministry reiterated its expectation that the contracting entities will now implement concrete steps to transition the project from planning to active development, ensuring compliance with all stipulated timelines and operational standards.