AFGHANISTAN CAN BECOME THE SAUDI ARABIA OF LITHIUM

by Sándor Köles

Afghanistan has had a reputation over the centuries as the “graveyard of empires”. The country has played a special role historically, alternating between geo-strategic insignificance and being a global geopolitical hotspot.

Because of its geographical location between the Iranian plateau and the Hindu Kush mountains of the western Himalayan region, Afghanistan has always been the crossing point of various empires over the centuries, none of which have been able to occupy the country permanently.

Since the withdrawal of coalition forces it has become clear that the vacuum of security and power in the Hindu Kush is filling rapidly.

The broader consequences of the withdrawal of coalition forces from Afghanistan for the United States and its allies are still unclear. But subsequent to the failures in Iraq and Afghanistan, and with the rise of Islamism in Libya and Syria, the fall of Kabul could mean the stranding of Western efforts to establish an institutionalized world order.

Afghanistan’s harsh terrain and lack of navigable rivers are factors that hinder internal economic dynamism. Also, the fact that it is landlocked means it cannot easily take part in the international trade. However, Afghanistan’s geography is a blessing as well as a curse.

In a world struggling with a shortage of raw materials, one of the important economic ways out for Afghanistan would be if it could exploit its much- touted natural resources in a sustainable way. Based on US research and information as well as other sources, Afghanistan could become the “Saudi Arabia of lithium” in the near future.

The author is a sociologist, cultural anthropologist, international analyst and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Carpathian Foundation

Cooperation with China

Afghanistan’s mineral resources, particularly its lithium deposits can play a key role in the global energy transition to renewable resources. China is already in talks with the Afghan leadership to invest in the country's lithium sector. Furthermore, they recently signed and oil extraction contract

Chinese Xinjiang Central Asia Petroleum and