Just half of $1.4 billion in approved investments were actually made in 2013, the Ministry of Commerce and Industries said on Tuesday.

The Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA) has issued licenses worth $1.4 billion dollars but only $762 million in investments were actually made, said Feroz Khan Masjedi, Head of Strategy, Policy, and Planning at the commerce ministry.

Officials at the ministry said that the investments that were made were invested in various sectors, especially oil extraction in the Afghan-Tajik zone.

The demand for investment has been twice the amount t his year.

Officials said the AISA has responsibility to follow-up with companies that have received licenses but have not started their activity. Officials said that if they have technical problems or do not have needed facilities, their problems should be resolved, otherwise their licenses should be revoked if they are not investing.