BAKU, Azerbaijan, Oct.25
By Natavan Rzayeva – Trend:
Afghan authorities have promised to fully pay off the debt for electricity in amount of nearly $10 million to Uzbekistan, Trend reports citing Uzbek media.
Afghanistan had previously asked their colleagues from Uzbekistan not to turn off the supply of electricity due to debts. Uzbekistan honored the request.
"We had a discussion with the representatives of the Afghanistan’s electricity corporation. It was agreed that as soon as Afghan side solves the problem related to the functioning of the banking system in the country, the representatives of the company will immediately pay off its debts," said Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister Sardor Umurzakov.
In early October Afghanistan’s electricity corporation, Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), has requested $90 million from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) to close the country’s debt to foreign electricity supplies.
DABS had said the country owes about $62 million to neighboring countries for electricity supplies.
According to the source, Kabul owes over $25 million to Iran, $11.2 million to Tajikistan, $9.9 million to Uzbekistan and $5.1 million to Turkmenistan. Besides, the company has liabilities to local power generating enterprises.
In turn, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan announced they would not cut power supplies to Afghanistan during the winter season, despite the debts.
In order to solve its problems, the company requested assistance from the UN.