Saudi-based company strikes $200 million energy deal with Taliban

DPAMon, September 7, 2026 at 1:48 PM UTC1 min readAdd Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.Key takeawaysPowered by Yahoo Scout. Yahoo is using AI to generate key points from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.

• Afghanistan's Taliban government and Delta International Company signed a 25-year agreement for oil and gas exploration in western Afghanistan, with an expected investment of $200 million.
• Former US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad attended the signing ceremony in Kabul, describing the agreement as a positive development that showcases Afghanistan's ability to attract significant investment in its natural resources.
• The project aims to position Afghanistan as a land bridge for transporting natural resources to South Asian markets, potentially boosting the economy and providing jobs for a population that has faced decades of conflict and limited economic opportunities.

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Afghanistan's Taliban government and Saudi Arabia-based Delta International Company signed an agreement Monday for oil and gas exploration and extraction in western Afghanistan.

Homayoun Afghan, spokesman for Afghanistan's Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, told broadcaster TOLOnews that the 25-year contract includes an eight-year exploration phase covering 22,000 square kilometres, with Delta International expected to invest $200 million.

"We hope that this will create jobs and contribute to Afghanistan's economic growth," Afghan said.

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Former US special envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, attended the televised signing ceremony in Kabul. His exact role at the event was not immediately clear.

Khalilzad described the agreement as a "very positive" development, saying it demonstrated Afghanistan's ability to attract significant investment in its natural resources.

The project advances a long-standing geo-economic vision of positioning Afghanistan as a land bridge for transporting Central Asian and domestic natural resources to South Asian markets.

The development could boost Afghanistan's economy and provide jobs and investment for a population that has endured decades of conflict, poverty and limited economic opportunities.

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Afghanistan continues to face widespread poverty and unemployment, with the World Food Programme warning that the prolonged economic crisis has left millions without reliable incomes.

The Taliban have been back in power in Afghanistan for five years. So far, only Russia has recognized the Islamists as the legitimate government.

Some regional states, including China and Iran, have adopted a more pragmatic approach towards the government in Kabul. International companies, however, are still hesitant when it comes to major investment projects.