Uzbekistan has delivered more than 290 tons of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, according to the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The assistance, provided ahead of Eid al-Fitr, is intended to support vulnerable communities while reinforcing ties between the neighboring countries.

The shipment includes essential food supplies such as flour, rice, wheat, vegetable oil, instant meals, pasta, and confectionery. An official handover ceremony was held in the border town of Hairatan.

Local officials, including Balkh province representatives and authorities from Hairatan, expressed appreciation for the continued support, acknowledging Uzbekistan’s efforts to assist the Afghan people.

Among those present at the ceremony were Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, Oybek Usmanov, and Surkhandarya regional governor Ulugbek Kosimov.

The aid delivery underscores Uzbekistan’s ongoing humanitarian engagement and its broader efforts to promote regional cooperation and stability.

Officials from Turkmenistan and Afghanistan have held talks aimed at accelerating land acquisition for the long-planned Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline, according to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock.

The issue was discussed during a meeting between TAPI project head Murad Amanov, Afghanistan’s acting Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock Mullah Attaullah Omari, and Turkmenistan’s ambassador to Afghanistan Hoja Ovezov.

Amanov briefed Afghan officials on recent progress and emphasized the need to accelerate procedures related to land acquisition and the determination of land prices in line with the framework agreement signed by the four participating countries.

Meanwhile, vessels operated by the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO), part of AZCON Holding, have begun transporting pipes for the project. The shipments are being carried from the Port of Baku to the Turkmenbashi International Seaport.

By the end of the year, the vessels are expected to deliver about 11,700 pipes as part of preparations for construction of the TAPI pipeline.

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation has announced the dispatch of eight export shipments through Torghundi port via the Lapis Lazuli Corridor to international markets.

In a statement, the ministry said the move is part of ongoing efforts to facilitate transit and strengthen the country’s export sector. Officials confirmed that coordination has been completed for eight commercial consignments to be transported along the corridor.

According to the ministry, a transport company is scheduled to move the shipments on Sunday, March 15, along the route that links Afghanistan with Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia before reaching Turkey.

The consignments include dried fruits, jam, pressure cookers and energy drinks. After arriving in Turkey, the goods are expected to be re-exported to markets in Saudi Arabia, the United States, Australia and the Netherlands.

The Lapis Lazuli Corridor is a regional trade and transit route launched in 2018 to connect Afghanistan with European markets through the Caucasus and Turkey, providing an alternative pathway for Afghan exports beyond traditional routes.

The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation said expanding transit corridors, supporting export and import growth, and facilitating international transport operations remain among its key priorities.

Officials added that practical steps are being taken to strengthen Afghanistan’s role in regional trade and connectivity.