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Kabir meets for talks with visiting Uzbekistan prime minister
The meeting came after Saturday’s signing between the two countries of 35 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) valued at a total of $2.5 billion.
After signing $2.5 billion worth of agreements with Afghanistan on Saturday, the prime minister of Uzbekistan, Abdullah Aripov, met with political deputy prime minister Mawlavi Abdul Kabir for talks on strengthening cooperation in various sectors.
Also in the meeting were Islamic Emirate cabinet members, including ministers of tribal and border affairs; information and culture; and higher education.
Aripov expressed Uzbekistan’s commitment to fostering economic and commercial partnerships with Afghanistan in numerous sectors including mining, electricity and agriculture.
He also affirmed Uzbekistan’s readiness to support Afghanistan through initiatives such as the Trans-Afghan Corridor – a $4.8 billion railway project connecting Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan.
Kabir, in response, acknowledged the importance of strengthening ties between the two nations and reiterated the Islamic Emirate’s commitment to fostering positive relations with Uzbekistan and other regional and global partners, with a focus on prioritizing economic development.
Mawlawi Abdul Kabir underscored the Islamic Emirate’s desire for recognition as the legitimate authority of Afghanistan by countries and international bodies, asserting that only the Islamic Emirate can effectively represent Afghanistan and its people on the international stage.
He expressed optimism regarding Afghanistan’s prospective involvement in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and underscored the commitment to ensuring that Afghanistan’s territory poses no threat to any nation.
Highlighting Afghanistan’s investment potential in various sectors, including mining, water, energy, transportation, and agriculture, Kabir encouraged investors, particularly those from Uzbekistan, to consider investing in Afghanistan.
In conclusion, the political deputy minister reiterated the Islamic Emirate’s readiness to participate in regional projects like TAPI and CASA-1000, emphasizing that Afghanistan’s stability and progress are essential for regional stability and development.
The meeting came after Saturday’s signing between the two countries of 35 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) valued at a total of $2.5 billion.
The MoUs include 12 investment agreements worth $1.4 billion and 23 trade agreements valued at $1.1 billion.
The deals were signed by Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, and Uzbekistan’s Prime Minister Abdullah Aripov.
The implementation of these wide-ranging agreements is expected to significantly strengthen economic ties between the two neighboring countries and provide a major boost to bilateral trade. The agreements span various sectors including infrastructure, energy, agriculture, and manufacturing.
“This landmark signing is a testament to the strong political will and commitment of the leadership in both Afghanistan and Uzbekistan to deepen economic integration in the region,” said Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund.
“We are confident that these agreements will create new avenues for investment, trade, and job creation, benefiting the people of both our nations.”
The signing comes amidst a broader push by the Afghan government to attract foreign investment and expand regional economic cooperation.
Islamic Emirate leader Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada has urged Kabul University graduates to uphold Islamic values and Sharia laws under all circumstances and not abandon their religion.
A Ministry of Higher Education official read out Akhundzada’s message on Wednesday at a graduation ceremony for around 2,500 students from Kabul University.
In his message, Akhundzada called on graduates to respect their parents and teachers and to uphold piety, sincerity, honesty and trustworthiness in their daily lives.
He also urged university teachers to provide students with proper religious, intellectual, moral, academic and professional education, promote unity and focus on their moral development.
According to the Ministry of Higher Education, around 2,500 students graduated in 2026 from 80 departments across 22 faculties of Kabul University.
The U.S. Department of State says Afghanistan’s ministries and other public-sector institutions failed to meet any of the minimum requirements for fiscal transparency during the review period.
In its 2026 Fiscal Transparency Report, released Tuesday, the State Department said no Afghan entity had published an executive budget proposal or an end-of-year report within a reasonable timeframe.
The report said that in the absence of a publicly available budget, there was no confirmation of government expenditures made to support public services. It also said Afghan institutions had not published timely information on public-sector debt obligations.
According to the report, publicly available revenue and expenditure figures did not correspond to actual revenues and expenditures, based on information gathered through contacts and the government’s inability to service public-sector debts.
However, some state-owned enterprises independently published information on their revenues and expenditures.
The State Department also said an entity calling itself the Supreme Audit Office, which announced that it would begin operating in 2022, had not clarified the legal basis for its activities and did not publish any audits or audit findings during the review period.
The report further noted that the IEA did not make public the budgets of their “military” and intelligence services.
The U.S. State Department recommended that Afghan ministries and public institutions improve fiscal transparency by publishing reliable budget documents on time, following internationally accepted budgeting principles, strengthening oversight of off-budget accounts, and making information on public-sector debt publicly available.
It also called for clearer laws governing natural-resource extraction and public procurement, as well as ensuring that any supreme audit institution operates independently and meets international standards.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate’s spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, said Afghanistan’s budget does not belong to any other country, and therefore there is no obligation to provide information to others about how it is spent.
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FAO warns water shortages and heat put Afghanistan’s agriculture under pressure
FAO assessed current conditions and prospects using climate forecasts, remote-sensing data and consultations with farming communities across all 34 provinces.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has warned that water shortages and above-average temperatures are placing increasing pressure on summer crops and grazing across Afghanistan.
In its August 2026 outlook for Afghanistan’s 2026/27 agricultural season, FAO assessed current conditions and prospects using climate forecasts, remote-sensing data and consultations with farming communities across all 34 provinces.
The agency said persistent water shortages, combined with high temperatures, are affecting agricultural conditions during the summer season and increasing pressure on crops and livestock.
FAO also warned that persistently high fertilizer prices could limit farmers’ ability to invest in the upcoming winter wheat season, potentially affecting production prospects.
Looking ahead, the report says a strengthening El Niño and the possible development of a positive Indian Ocean Dipole could bring above-average precipitation during winter and spring.
Such conditions could improve water availability and boost prospects for agricultural production, but FAO cautioned that heavier rainfall could also increase the risk of floods, landslides, crop damage and livestock losses.
The agency said the latest outlook highlights the need for continued monitoring, anticipatory action and timely, practical climate and agricultural advisories to help farmers and livestock owners prepare for changing conditions.
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