Speech of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund during Meeting with the PM of Azerbaijan
In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
To the Honorable PM of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Accompanying Delegation,
Peace and blessings of Allah be upon you.
First and foremost, I extend my sincere gratitude to you for inviting the delegation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to participate in the ECO Summit and for the warm welcome extended to us.
I am pleased to hold discussions today in Baku with you regarding the expansion of political, economic, commercial, and transit relations between Afghanistan and Azerbaijan.
Given the positive historical background of relations between our two countries, we call for the initiation of political consultations between Afghanistan and Azerbaijan. We seek to enhance the diplomatic presence of the Afghan Embassy in Baku and request the official recognition of the Islamic Emirate’s ambassador by the government of Azerbaijan.
Considering Azerbaijan’s expertise in the extraction and processing of oil and gas, we would like your country to share its experiences and extend cooperation with Afghanistan in this sector.
Azerbaijan also has valuable experience in the field of renewable energy. We request that you share your expertise in solar and wind power with Afghanistan and explore opportunities for investment in these areas.
Additionally, we seek your cooperation and experience sharing in the areas of agricultural mechanization, water resource management, implementation of public service facilitation programs, demining, and vocational education.
The Lapis Lazuli Corridor is of significant regional importance for connectivity. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which has adopted an economy-centered policy, strongly believes in regional connectivity and is committed to playing an active role in strengthening regional links through the full operationalization of the Lapis Lazuli Corridor.
The corridor holds immense value in increasing trade and transit volumes between Afghanistan and regional countries. Since the re-establishment of the Islamic Emirate, efforts have continued to keep the corridor active. The most recent meeting concerning this corridor took place on October 3, 2024, in Istanbul, Türkiye, where important decisions were made. However, these decisions have not yet been implemented.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan urges all member countries of the Lapis Lazuli Corridor to resolve existing issues and establish full coordination for its activation. From our side, we are fully prepared to provide any required cooperation.
Last year, a draft bilateral land transport agreement was submitted to Azerbaijan by Afghanistan. We request that this agreement be signed as soon as possible. Furthermore, both countries should fully coordinate efforts to operationalize the existing transit routes.
Afghanistan also seeks to export coal to Türkiye via Azerbaijan and requests your cooperation and facilitation in this regard. Additionally, in the area of railway development, we would like Azerbaijan to share its experience and engage in joint efforts with us.
We are eager to open a new chapter of cooperation between Afghanistan and Azerbaijan in the fields of trade and transit. To that end, we believe it is necessary to activate a joint working group on economic and commercial cooperation between our two countries.
To increase trade volumes between the two countries, it would be beneficial to organize joint trade and agricultural exhibitions, and to facilitate the entry of Afghan products into Azerbaijani markets. In this regard, we request that visa issuance for Afghan traders be facilitated by Azerbaijan.
After decades, Afghanistan now offers promising investment opportunities across various sectors. We invite the government and investors of Azerbaijan to invest in Afghanistan’s mining, agriculture, railway, and energy sectors. The Islamic Emirate pledges its full support and cooperation in this regard.
Furthermore, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan requests the government of Azerbaijan to release Afghan prisoners who were detained after crossing the border illegally and are currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan.
In conclusion, I once again thank you for the invitation to the ECO Summit. I hope that this meeting will open a new chapter of political and economic relations between our two countries and that it will be sustained in the long term.
Peace and blessings be upon you.