The Significance of a Reliable Trade Route for Afghanistan’s Mining Sector: The Case of Talc Magnesite1

This brief is based in part on a baseline assessment study completed in September 2020 with the generous support of the Canadian Trade and Investment
Facility (CTIF). Funded by Global Affairs Canada, CTIF supports more inclusive, sustainable, and poverty-reducing trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific. CTIF
provides technical assistance to improve policy-making practices among regional and national institutions, and to increase access to markets and finance by
Asia-Pacific-based SMEs, particularly those led by women. CTIF is managed by a joint venture led by Cowater International in partnership with the Institute of
Public Administration of Canada (IPAC). The $11.63 million facility opened in August 2018 and is scheduled to close in March 2025.
2 Shoaib Rahim is a development practitioner, a university lecturer and President of Alternative Spectrum Consulting. He specializes in issues pertaining to
Afghanistan’s economy, regional cooperation, and economic integration. Eric Miller is President of Rideau Potomac Strategy Group, a consultancy that advises
public and private sector clients around the world on trade, economic development, supply chains and technology issues.