Afghan, Kazakh officials discuss enhancing economic ties

Bakhyt Sultanov, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration, on Saturday arrived in Kabul to discuss ways for expanding trade and economic ties between the two countries.

Sultanov is leading a delegation – including representatives of 16 companies – in Kabul to assess investment opportunities in Afghanistan.

Addressing a press conference Afghanistan’s Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce Nooruddin Azizi stated that Kabul wants to strengthen economic relations in the various sectors with Kazakhstan.

The two sides discussed direct flights from Afghanistan to Kazakhstan, export Afghan of agricultural products, the establishment of a joint trade chamber, and the ways for facilitating funds transfer through banks, Azizi said.

“There are investment opportunities in Afghanistan, we want to facilitate and provide [opportunities] for the private sector in order to boost our economic ties with Kazakhstan,” Azizi added.

Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration, meanwhile, stated that Kazakhstan is ready to work with the Afghanistan government to expand of economic and trade ties between the two countries.

“In the past 10 months, our trade with Afghanistan dropped by 27 percent. We want to expand trade between the two countries, as well as we want to reach markets in the south Asian countries,” said Sultanov.

Afghan officials stated that Afghanistan’s annual trade with Kazakhstan valued at least $648 million.