Afghanistan and Uzbekistan emphasize expanding economic and trade cooperation

Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), during his official visit to Termez, Uzbekistan, met with Jamshid Khodjayev, Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, to discuss expanding bilateral economic ties.

The meeting was attended by Mohammad Yousuf Wafa, Governor of Balkh, Abdul Ghaffar Bahr, Afghan Ambassador to Tashkent, and several representatives from Afghanistan’s private sector. The two sides held extensive talks on enhancing trade relations, increasing trade volumes, expanding transit routes, removing trade barriers, and promoting joint economic initiatives.

Minister Azizi emphasized the growing partnership between the two countries and stressed the need to accelerate the implementation of agreements while providing greater support and facilities for traders and investors.

Deputy Prime Minister Khodjayev welcomed the Afghan delegation, highlighting the interest of Uzbek investors in sectors such as agriculture, mining, transport, infrastructure, and health. He also announced Uzbekistan’s readiness to deploy technical teams to support the execution of joint projects.

Azizi expressed Afghanistan’s full commitment to cooperating on shared economic initiatives, while representatives from the Afghan private sector shared their proposals, emphasizing the importance of closer collaboration between the two countries’ private sectors.

The meeting also included participation from Uzbekistan’s Ministers of Transport, Agriculture, Energy, and Health, the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and several provincial governors, who joined online.