KABUL - The Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA) on Wednesday announced foreign investment declined by 30 percent and accused government for having no proper strategy for economic development.

During a joint meeting of officials from the AISA and the Federation of Afghan Craftsmen and Traders (FACT), it was decided that steps should be taken to felicitate businessmen and resolve their problems.

Abdul Jabbar Safi, deputy director of the FACT, said traders had frequently presented their demands and suggestions to the government in the past 14 years but no step could be taken to ameliorate the situation.

Mohammad Qurban Haqjo, director of the AISA, expressed his concern over the current economic situation of the country and said that government had paid no any attention to developing the industrial sector in the past decade.

He said statistics showed that foreign investment had declined by 30 percent in the first six months of the ongoing year, compared with the corresponding period of last year.

In addition, he said 70 percent of registered factories had stopped working while 30 percent were active. The official alleged the former administration issued licences to factories without any planning.

Haqjo noted that most of youth were looking for job opportunities. Despite existing economic challenges, the government still did not have a proper strategy for strengthening the economy, he said. (Pajhwok)