MoF fails to achieve annual revenue target

KABUL): The Afghan government’s revenue in 2013 stood at $112 billion, or a quarter of its annual budget, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) said on Wednesday.

Abdul Qadir Jilani, the MoF spokesperson, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the country’s revenue during the solar year 1391 was 111. 64 billion afghanis, or $2 billion.

For the current fiscal year, the development budget is 168 billion afs and general spending 275 billion afs. As much as 75 percent of the funds come from international aid.

For 2013, the revenue target — 113 billion afs — could not be achieved for various reasons, including propaganda about the post-2014 situation, Jilani said.

“Concerns among traders, investors and foreign media’s negative projection of Afghanistan’s economic outlook resulted in low investment and capital flight form the country,” he added.

Another factor behind the government’s inability was lack of public awareness among regarding tax obligation, the official explained.

A weak tax culture, lack of cooperation between law-enforcement organs and MoF employees, capacity and administrative corruption were among other obstacles, the spokesman continued.

Jilani said the ministry was working to improve its system, including capacity building, professional training programmes, amending and enacting laws and making policies to encouraging domestic and foreign investors.

He said four years back the national revenue was only 57 billion afs, but the huge increase had been made possible by the ministry’s efforts to boost the economy and prevent capital flight from the country.

Last year, because of a change in the fiscal year from solar to Gregorian, the national revenue was 87 billion afs.

ra/mud

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