Afghanistan owes Tajikistan over USD 33mn for electricity: Tajik Energy Holding

Afghan energy company Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), responsible for electricity transmission and generation in the country, owns Tajikistan more than USD 33 million for the electricity already supplied, Mahmadumar Asozoda, the first deputy director of Tajik energy holding Barki Tojik, said on Tuesday.

Afghanistan imports an estimated more than 75 per cent of its electricity from neighbouring countries. After the Taliban took over in Afghanistan in mid-August, countries including Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, have expressed concerns about payments of electricity bills.

Tajik energy holding and DABS signed a 20-year contract in 2008. In December last year, a supplementary contract was signed according to which Barki Tojik will provide the Afghan company with up to 400 megawatts of electricity per 24 hours from May to September 2022.

Barki Tojik's press secretary Nozirjon Edgori told Russian news agency Sputnik that the agreement had a clause on timely repayment of DABS debts, which he said was being "gradually implemented."

"Last year, more than 1.257 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity worth $56 million were exported to Afghanistan from Tajikistan. To date, the Breshna company's debt to Barki Tojik is more than $33 million," Asozoda told reporters.

The Tajik energy holding is in constant contact with the DABS, Asozoda noted, adding that "the Afghan energy company has banking restrictions on the transfer of funds, in January we received only two million dollars as a debt repayment."

He said that DABS promised to fully pay off the debt to Barki Tojik in February.

Earlier in October, one of DABS chiefs requested the UN mission in Kabul to help the country pay its USD 90 million energy debts as part of humanitarian aid, however they received no response.

( With inputs from ANI )