A government delegation from Uzbekistan, led by Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khojaev, visited Kabul on October 29-30, 2023, for talks with Afghan authorities, the Afghan Ministry of Industry and Commerce announced.
The purpose of the visit was to discuss the development of bilateral trade, transit issues between the two countries, and the opening of a trade exhibition in Kabul.
Vice Prime Minister Jamshid Khojaev held meetings with several officials from the interim government of Afghanistan, including Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, as reported by TOLOnews. The parties discussed cooperation in railways, transportation, mineral extraction, water resource management, and expanding educational opportunities for Afghan youth.
The Uzbek delegation included Minister of Energy Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov, Minister of Transport Ilhom Makhamov, Minister of Water Resources Shavkat Khamraev, Minister of Mining and Geology Bobir Islamov, Minister of Agriculture Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov, Presidential Special Representative for Afghanistan Ismatulla Irgashev, and others, including 45 business representatives.
During the meeting held at the Arg Palace, Khojaev called for peace and stability in Afghanistan, emphasizing its importance for the region. He pledged that Uzbekistan would collaborate with Afghanistan in transit, trade, and agriculture.
According to the Office of the Afghan Vice Prime Minister, Baradar raised the issue of high transit fees for Afghan goods passing through Uzbekistan and requested a reduction in these fees. He also urged Uzbekistan to consider implementing special preferential trade tariffs with Afghanistan to achieve a balanced trade balance between the two countries.
Jamshid Khojaev presented a trade roadmap aimed at increasing Afghanistan's exports to Uzbekistan and growing the trade volume between the two nations to approximately $3 billion per year.
In the statement, it was noted that Uzbekistan had simplified the visa procedure for Afghan businessmen and drivers. Additionally, plans are underway to hold an exhibition of Afghan products in Tashkent and open a large business center in Termez.
Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan, Nuruddin Azizi, stated that to increase the trade turnover between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan from $600 million to $3 billion starting next month, the Hayraton port would operate round the clock, seven days a week.
Azizi added that Afghanistan was ready to import chemical products, wheat, agricultural machinery, and other goods from Uzbekistan.
Following the meetings and negotiations during the visit, the parties signed export-import agreements worth approximately $1.2 billion, as reported by IA Dunyo.
At present, the question of building the "Kosh Tepe" water canal, which is filled from the Amu Darya River and provides the majority of the water for Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, remains unresolved between the two countries.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
October 31, 2023