Afghanistan’s First Jewelry Industry Exhibition Opens in Kabul

Afghanistan’s first jewelry industry exhibition opened in Kabul with the aim of showcasing the sector’s potential, supporting domestic production, and marketing jewelry products.

Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce, said at the opening ceremony that the jewelry industry is an important sector of the country’s economy. He said that by establishing a designated location for the industry, providing advanced equipment, and strengthening technical expertise, Afghanistan could achieve self-sufficiency in the sector.

Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce, said: “Afghan designs should be promoted in Afghanistan. We should have Afghan designs, and my request is that we train the world’s best designers here in Afghanistan and make them available to our jewelers. We should have advanced machinery and bring Afghanistan to self-sufficiency in the jewelry sector.”

Yaqoub Mujahid, head of exhibitions at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, said: “Holding this exhibition in the country is an important step toward developing the jewelry industry, showcasing its potential and products, expanding markets, encouraging investment, and supporting domestic production.”

The acting head of the Iranian Embassy in Kabul also said that Afghanistan’s growth and prosperity would benefit countries in the region, including Iran. He expressed hope that Iranian companies would participate in future exhibitions of Afghanistan’s jewelry industry.

Alireza Bikdeli, acting head of the Iranian Embassy in Kabul, said: “Today, if the clouds in your skies bring abundant rain and your mountains are covered with snow, our people will also have plenty of water. It is God’s will that our lives and yours are interconnected.”

Meanwhile, the head of the Afghanistan Jewelers Union said that a large portion of jewelry production takes place inside the country, but jewelers need greater support, advanced equipment, and opportunities to export their products in order to further develop the industry.

Mohammad Bashir Ehsanzada, head of the Afghanistan Jewelers Union, said: “This sector needs unwavering support because gold is part of our national wealth. The more self-sufficient the jewelry industry becomes, the better we can preserve our national wealth.”

At the exhibition, gold jewelry manufacturers are showcasing various types of Afghan-made gold jewelry designs at 26 booths for three days.

Faisal Haqiqat, an exhibitor, said: “The benefit of this exhibition for us is that we can showcase our country’s products to the public so that people can see how much progress we have made in this sector.”

Azizullah Amin, another exhibitor, said: “Our request is that more attention be paid to the jewelry industry and that more investment be made. We are committed to shifting from imports to exports within the next two or three years.”

Afghanistan has significant reserves of precious and semi-precious minerals, including gold. These resources are currently being extracted and utilized in several parts of the country, including Takhar, Badakhshan, Panjshir, and Nuristan.