German economy gives up Afghanistan

German economy gives up Afghanistan. Afghanistan has never been an important trading partner for Germany. The volume of trade between Germany and Afghanistan last year was just 70 million euros. "The German-Afghan economic relations are on a low-threshold level," says DIHK foreign trade director Volker Treier to the editorial network Germany. Neither the Chamber of Commerce nor the BDI industry association have any figures on how many German companies were last represented in the country. But: There are hardly any legal trade goods that Germany imports from Afghanistan. The situation is similar with exports. Even if German products have a good reputation in the Hindu Kush: Many Afghans simply do not have the money for the relatively expensive goods "made in Germany". Nonetheless, some companies have bet on doing good business in the country, especially when it comes to infrastructure projects. Last November, Siemens Energy signed a major order "for the electrification of Afghanistan". The aim is "to establish the country as an energy hub in Central Asia through the development of a modern, sustainable and cost-effective energy system," said the energy subsidiary of the Munich group at the time. After all, only a third of Afghans currently have electricity. A few days ago, before the Taliban seized power, a company spokesman told the Handelsblatt: "If the Taliban take over power in the country or in large parts of the country, we will have to question our presence and our activities on the ground. " In the 20-year mission, the Federal Government has supported Afghanistan with a total of 3.5 billion euros in development aid. Schools, hospitals, the airport in Mazar-i-Sharif, bridges and new roads were built and repaired. Actually, Germany wanted to provide Afghanistan with up to 340 million euros annually for reconstruction aid by 2024. The country can no longer hope for that. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas had already announced that Germany would turn off the money if the Taliban came to power: "We will not give a cent to Afghanistan once the Taliban have taken over completely, introduce Sharia law and this country becomes a caliphate." The development ministry has now also confirmed the announcement. All German and international employees of the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), which is responsible for state development aid, would have safely left the country. The international aid funds have recently made up around 60 percent of the state budget. Without the financial injections from abroad, the economic situation threatens to deteriorate further. According to experts, the economy in Afghanistan is now facing a serious setback. The crisis could pose a lasting threat. "If the terrorist threat increases, this can quickly lead to a destabilization of the region, which in turn would put an additional burden on world trade," said the President of the Federal Association of Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services (BGA), Anton Börner, to the "Handelsblatt". In the end, that would also affect Germany as a foreign trade nation substantially.