In this episode of The New Arab Voice, we delve into the Afghan economy and look at whether business deals with the Chinese will reverse the bleak fortunes of the crisis-hit country.

On January 6, an oil extraction deal between Chinese representatives and the Taliban became the first major international agreement signed by the hardline rulers since they returned to power.

The deal was hailed by both Beijing and Kabul as a necessary step forward in cooperation between the two nations.

However, this is an inherently risky business - considering Afghanistan’s chronic instability and liquidity crisis combined with a history of failed deals that never secure their desired outcomes.

We speak with Jeffrey Grieco, president and CEO of the Afghan American Chamber of Commerce, about the current state of the Afghan economy and China’s growing role.

We also discuss the reasons why China invests heavily in Afghanistan with researcher Jiayi Zhou from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

Lastly, we interview economist and co-chair of the Afghan Trust Fund, Shah Mehrabi, about the West’s continued role in Afghanistan, and what needs to be done to lift millions of people out of poverty.

Next week, Hugo will be back with another dose of Middle Eastern economies; this time Egypt and their deal with the IMF.

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