Deputy PM Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund Meets with the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan

During his visit to Uzbekistan, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, met with the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Abdullah Aripov, on the evening of February 22, 2025. The meeting focused on the implementation of various agreements between the two countries.

During his remarks, Deputy PM Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund referred to the Islamic Emirate's foreign policy, stating that the Islamic Emirate's stance toward neighboring, regional, and global countries is based on neutrality and the principle of non-interference. He emphasized that the Islamic Emirate expects the same commitment to this principle from other nations.

Deputy PM Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund added that the Islamic Emirate has taken serious measures against the cultivation, production, use, and trafficking of narcotics and has successfully prevented their smuggling into neighboring countries. He assured neighboring, regional, and global nations that Afghanistan’s territory would not be used against any country and that Afghanistan poses no threat to them.

The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted the expansion of railways and road infrastructure between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan as a crucial and fundamental issue. He invited the Uzbek side to invest in the Mazar-e-Sharif–Herat railway project, which would extend to Kandahar and connect Uzbekistan to Iran and China. According to the Deputy PM, this project would expand Tashkent’s trade with South Asian countries, Iran, and China, thereby playing a significant role in regional stability and development.

Furthermore, he also invited Uzbekistan to invest in the construction of the second Salang tunnel, emphasizing that this tunnel is a key transit route linking Central Asia with South Asia and plays a fundamental role in regional trade and transportation.

In conclusion, the Deputy Prime Minister assured the Uzbek side that the Islamic Emirate is committed to maintaining all security, economic, and cultural ties with Uzbekistan and seeks to strengthen bilateral relations. He reiterated the importance of implementing the agreements signed between the two sides and emphasized the need for joint efforts to enhance trade, transit, regional cooperation, and economic relations between Kabul and Tashkent.

Following his remarks, the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Abdullah Aripov, reaffirmed Uzbekistan's commitment to expanding economic relations with Afghanistan. He stated that Uzbekistan fully supports all the shared initiatives aimed at strengthening economic and trade relations between Tashkent and Kabul. He added that technical teams from both sides would continue working on the practical implementation of these projects.