AFGHANISTAN'S ECONOMICS

Kabul : Afghanistan's economy is expected to grow 2.6 percent this year, up slightly from the previous year despite deteriorating security- the World Bank said in a report recently.

While the figure is up from 2.2 percent last year, it does not keep up with the country's population growth of roughly 3 percent, meaning that gross domestic product per capita continues to decline.

''In the next three or four years, there are things that can be done to boost growth to between 4 and 5  percent,'' said Shubham Chaudhuri, the World Bank's Country Director for Afghanistan.

Chaudhuri, presenting a report on Afghanistan's economy at the World Bank fortified headquarters in Kabul, said that :

Agriculture, mineral attraction and the country's youth were its biggest assets, as well as its geography as regional land bridge.

The improved growth outlook will be welcomed by  President Ashraf Ghani, whose technocrat government is seen as unstable but appears to be making the reforms that international donors-

Who provide more than half of Afghanistan's funding -have been seeking.