Hedayatullah Badri, Afghanistan’s Minister of Mines and Petroleum, led a high-level delegation to the Tatarstan Oil, Gas, and Chemical Industry Forum this week at the official invitation of the Republic of Tatarstan.

In his keynote address, Badri underscored the importance of deepening bilateral relations, highlighting Afghanistan’s untapped oil and gas reserves and the need for advanced technology transfer from Tatarstan.

He also extended an invitation to international investors to explore Afghanistan’s vast natural resources and mining opportunities.

On the sidelines of the forum, the Afghan delegation held meetings with senior Tatarstan officials, where they agreed to establish a joint technical committee to expand cooperation between the two regions.

Tatarstan representatives pledged support for scholarships and professional training programs for Afghan students, while Tatarstan’s state oil company expressed readiness to provide technical assistance, dispatch experts, and design training initiatives in collaboration with Afghan institutions.

Afghanistan is believed to hold some of the world’s richest untapped mineral deposits, estimated at more than $1 trillion, including copper, iron ore, lithium, rare earth elements, natural gas, and precious stones.

The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has been actively seeking partnerships to harness these resources, which are seen as critical to Afghanistan’s long-term economic stability.

Analysts say that with proper infrastructure, security, and transparent investment frameworks, Afghanistan could emerge as a significant supplier of strategic minerals for the global economy — particularly lithium, which is vital for renewable energy and battery production.

In recent months, Afghanistan signed contracts with regional partners including China and Iran to develop oil and mining projects, signaling the Islamic Emirate’s determination to transform the country’s natural wealth into a driver of growth and regional connectivity.

By engaging with Tatarstan and other partners, the Islamic Emirate aims to secure technology transfer, attract capital investment, and build capacity to transform its mineral wealth into sustainable economic growth.