Afghan Economy to Grow

The World Bank has predicted a 2.6% growth rate for Afghanistan in 2017–a 0.4 percentage point increase from last year’s estimate of 2.2%. But the security situation would have a significant impact on the growth rate, said M. Ayhan Kose, director of the World Bank Group’s Development Prospects Group. Also lead author of the latest World Bank report Global Economic Prospects, he told Pajhwok Afghan News, “Well, the uncertainty of the security situation is, of course, something that holds back growth in Afghanistan.” The bank also forecast 3.4 and 3.1% growth rates respectively for 2018 and 2019.