ISAF Joint Command - Afghanistan
2010-12-D-108

For Immediate Release
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KABUL, Afghanistan (Dec. 10, 2010) — The Inland Customs Department in Shahrak-e Hairatan district, Balkh province, is scheduled to open for business Dec. 18 to better meet the needs of individuals crossing the border from Uzbekistan to sell their goods.

Originally, merchants had to make a trip to Mazar-e-Sharif to process through customs before moving their wares to market places throughout the country. The new customs building is located closer to the border between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, and is one kilometer away from a railway station.

“It provides a more economical venue to import and export goods,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Lee Roupe, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command lead for stability operations, Regional Commands North and West. “It’s cheaper to ship goods by train than by truck. More bulk can be shipped at the same time; that alone is driving revenue, which spurs other opportunities in the local area.”

“Not only does this project provide economic development, it provides infrastructure development and job opportunities for local Afghans,” said Roupe. “It’s just the beginning. It’s a toe into the Afghan’s ability to get world trade, trying to get the Afghan name into the world economy.”