Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Meets Uzbekistan’s Prime Minister

Uzbekistan’s Prime Minister, Mr. Abdullah Aripov, arrived in Kabul, leading a high-level delegation. Upon arrival at the Arg, he was welcomed by Dr. Mullah Abdul Wasi, Director General of the Office of the Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Following the reception, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and Mr. Abdullah Aripov, along with their respective delegations, engaged in discussions on enhancing relations between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan in various sectors, particularly focusing on the initiation of practical work on economic and trade projects. Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund expressed his hope that the visit of Uzbekistan’s high-level delegation would prove beneficial in strengthening economic ties between the two countries. In response, Prime Minister Abdullah Aripov highlighted the religious, cultural, and historical ties between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, noting that President Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan has always emphasized the importance of strengthening the friendly relations between the two nations. Subsequently, officials from the Ministries of Water and Energy, Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Transport and Aviation, and Mines and Petroleum held talks with their Uzbek counterparts on further facilitating and enhancing economic and transit relations between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. Following these discussions, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan attended a signing ceremony for cooperation agreements between the two countries. During the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund welcomed the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan and his delegation, expressing his pleasure at meeting them in a free and independent Afghanistan. He also extended his gratitude to the President of Uzbekistan for his positive and realistic stance on Afghanistan. Mullah Baradar highlighted the growing trade and economic relations between the two countries, noting that hundreds of wagons of goods are exchanged daily via railways, and emphasized the importance of the Afghan-Trans project, urging the start of its practical implementation. He also welcomed the extension of the 500 kV Surkhan-Pul-e-Khumri power transmission line and stressed the need to strengthen substations and improve the quality of power lines, particularly increasing the capacity of the Arghandi substation. He further emphasized that the Islamic Emirate prioritizes investment from neighboring countries and called for comprehensive discussions to expand trade and transit relations and address existing obstacles. In conclusion, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund underscored the importance of facilitating the issuance of business visas for Afghan traders as a key factor in enhancing trade and economic relations. In his remarks, Prime Minister Abdullah Aripov expressed his delight at visiting the historic country of Afghanistan for the first time and thanked the Afghan side for their warm hospitality. He noted that Uzbekistan views Afghanistan as a significant part of Asia and reiterated President Mirziyoyev’s belief that positive outcomes cannot be achieved without engaging with the current government of Afghanistan. Prime Minister Aripov emphasized that Uzbekistan’s close and positive relations with Afghanistan serve as a good example for other countries. He also reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s commitment to expanding trade relations with Afghanistan and announced that a positive decision has been made regarding the commencement of the official duties of Afghanistan’s new ambassador to Uzbekistan, which will be announced soon. He assured that all agreements with Afghanistan would be implemented, and Uzbekistan is prepared to invest in the extraction of copper and coal in Afghanistan. Moreover, he expressed readiness to train Afghan specialists in water conservation and other areas. He added that Uzbekistan’s cooperation with Afghanistan in agricultural seed improvement and horticulture will continue, and Uzbekistan is willing to share its experiences with Afghan farmers. Furthermore, Uzbekistan is prepared to train approximately 100 specialists annually in aviation and railways. Following the speeches, Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund and Prime Minister Abdullah Aripov oversaw the signing of five cooperation agreements between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan in various fields. The agreements were signed by Mr. Nooruddin Azizi, Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan, and the Uzbek Minister of Industry and Commerce. In addition, the Ministries of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Mines and Petroleum, Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat, and the Customs Department signed cooperation agreements with their Uzbek counterparts. The visit concluded with Prime Minister Abdullah Aripov and his delegation attending a luncheon hosted by Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, Mullah Abdul Salam Hanafi.