Afghanistan Environmental, Health & Safety Regime

EHS documents can be downloaded here in English, Chinese, Russian and Arabic, and translations into Dari are being prepared and will be posted here as soon as possible.

Large projects are required to comply with a set of international Performance Standards. The Performance Standards make clear the proponent’s role and responsibility in managing a large project:

Performance Standards [PDF] English | русский | عربي | 简体中文
Performance Standards Guidance Notes [PDF] English | عربي | 简体中文
It is expected that financing of large projects will follow the voluntary Equator Principles:
Equator Principles [PDF] English | русский | 体中文

Large projects, such as Aynak and Hajigak, are required to meet or exceed the minimum international norms for Environment, Health and Safety in the 2007 World Bank "EHS General Guidelines":

General EHS Guidelines [PDF] English | русский | عربي | 简体中文
Large investment projects are also required to meet or exceed the relevant 2007 EHS Industry Sector Guidelines. Some are listed below:

Mining and Quarrying [PDF] English | русский | عربي | 体中文

Coal Processing [PDF] English | русский | عربي | 体中文

Onshore Oil and Gas Development [PDF] English | русский | عربي | 体中文

Metal Smelting and Refining [PDF] English | русский | عربي | 体中文

Integrated Steel Mills [PDF] English | русский | عربي | 体中文

Thermal Power [PDF] English | русский | عربي | 体中文

Railways [PDF] English | русский | عربي | 体中文
 

Small to medium projects are required to meet or exceed the mandatory Environmental, Health and Safety legal requirements of current Afghan laws and regulations. The national legislative framework is incomplete and evolving quite rapidly. Therefore investors should pay attention to laws and regulations that are at draft stage, as many projects will commence after updated legislation is in place. Investors able and willing to exceed national EHS legal requirements will be viewed favourably.

Environmental and Social Safeguard Sheets are being prepared for each commodity as tools to assist miners, investors, regulators and local communities in appreciating the environmental and social issues as a basis for formulating Government policy that strengthens mining, added-value quality products, exports and employment while minimizing impacts on the environment and local communities. Nine ‘Safeguard Sheets’ have been prepared so far:

 

  1. Coal Mining and Processing in Afghanistan
  2. Clay Quarrying and Brick Production in Afghanistan
  3. Hardrock Quarries in Afghanistan
  4. River Quarries in Afghanistan
  5. Asbestos Quarries in Afghanistan
  6. Placer Gold Mining and Processing in Afghanistan
  7. Hardrock Gold Mining and Processing in Afghanistan
  8. Mercury Exploration and Mining in Afghanistan
  9. Fluorspar Mining and Processing in Afghanistan