Kabul and Tashkent Emphasize Expansion of Bilateral Economic Cooperation

During his visit to Uzbekistan, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, held a second joint meeting today, February 22, 2025, with Jamshid Khodjaev, Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan. Both sides discussed enhancing bilateral cooperation in various economic sectors between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.

In his remarks, the Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Baradar Akhund highlighted that Afghanistan and Uzbekistan share religious, historical, cultural, and ethnic commonalities, which have had a profoundly positive impact on their political and economic relations throughout history. He stated that since the Islamic Emirate assumed power, trade relations between the two countries have been steadily growing and strengthening, and both sides should work together to further expand them.

Deputy PM Mullah Baradar Akhund emphasized several key issues to enhance trade relations between Kabul and Tashkent, including: facilitating banking transactions through necessary measures by the Central Bank of Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan's cooperation in strengthening Afghanistan’s banking sector, using national currencies for bilateral trade, accelerating the connection of customs systems at the border, providing logistical ease for Afghan traders in transporting goods to the joint market, eliminating trade licensing barriers for Afghan traders, facilitating visa issuance for them,  and implementing agreements on hydrocarbons and mineral resources.

The Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs also urged the Uzbek side to expedite the implementation of the 500 kV electricity transmission line and the Afghan-Trans project, assuring full cooperation from the Islamic Emirate in this regard. Additionally, he invited Uzbek investors to explore investment opportunities in various sectors in Afghanistan and guaranteed full support in providing necessary facilities for them.

The Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Jamshid Khodjaev, assured full cooperation from Uzbekistan in all the mentioned areas and reiterated Tashkent’s keen interest in working jointly with Kabul in all economic sectors.

It is worth noting that technical committees from both sides will continue their work on trade, transit, investment in mining and industry, expansion and construction of railway networks in Afghanistan, banking cooperation, and several other economic initiatives.