Taliban, China partner restart copper project, reigniting worries

KABUL -- A copper-mining project in Afghanistan finally got off the ground last month after a delay of over 16 years, but critics worry that a lack of independent supervision could lead to widespread pollution and the destruction of historical ruins and relics uncovered at the Mes Aynak site.

Three years after the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan, the government still isn't widely recognized and the economy has tanked. World Bank figures show a 26% contraction in the real economy in the two years to April 2024. As such, the Taliban views the Mes Aynak project, contracted to state-owned China Metallurgical Group Corp. (MCC) since 2007, as a crucial lifeline both financially and diplomatically.