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Afghanistan, Kazakhstan sign $133 million trade agreements to boost food imports

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8 months ago

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Afghanistan and Kazakhstan have signed trade agreements worth more than $133 million aimed at strengthening economic ties and ensuring a steady supply of food commodities to Afghanistan, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce announced Wednesday.

The deals, reached during a trade meeting in Kabul between Kazakhstan’s National Food Contract Corporation and Afghan private sector representatives, will see nearly 600,000 metric tons of basic goods—including flour, wheat, and oilseeds such as flaxseed and soybeans—imported from Kazakhstan.

Speaking at the event, Afghanistan’s Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce Nooruddin Azizi highlighted the importance of the agreements, stressing that both countries have “significant and complementary economic potential.”

He said the ministry is working to raise the volume of bilateral trade to $3 billion while ensuring greater support for traders and investors.

The ministry described the signing as a practical step toward expanding cooperation, boosting trade flows, and opening opportunities for joint investment.

Officials noted that the agreements mark a new chapter in Afghanistan–Kazakhstan relations and could help improve livelihoods while contributing to long-term growth.

The push to expand trade is part of a wider economic strategy by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which has increasingly focused on boosting regional commerce as a way to stabilize the country’s fragile economy.

With Afghanistan still facing banking restrictions, limited access to international financing, and reduced foreign aid, the authorities have turned to trade and transit agreements with regional partners—including Uzbekistan, Iran, and now Kazakhstan—as a key means of driving growth, creating jobs, and reducing dependency on humanitarian support.

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Afghan economic commission approves 12 major development projects across key sectors

In the infrastructure sector, projects include connecting the eastern Kandahar substation to the new central substation in Tarinkot, as well as a major electricity transmission project from Kajaki dam to New Tarinkot.

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22 hours ago

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May 3, 2026

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The Economic Deputy Office of the Prime Minister says 12 major development projects have been approved in the latest meeting of the Economic Commission and referred to relevant departments for implementation.

According to the statement, the approved projects include the transfer of imported electricity to the province of Paktika, construction of a double-circuit transmission line from Ghazni, completion of remaining substation works, and expansion of the national power network.

The package also includes extension of electricity lines from the Nurul-Jihad substation to the provinces of Herat, Farah, and Nimroz, as well as supplying electricity to Seydan village in the Grishk district of Helmand.

In the infrastructure sector, projects include connecting the eastern Kandahar substation to the new central substation in Tarinkot, as well as a major electricity transmission project from Kajaki dam to New Tarinkot.

Other approved projects include irrigation schemes in Faryab, upgrading and activating the 350-bed Aino Mina hospital in Kandahar, construction of a grand mosque with a capacity of 40,000 worshippers in Nimroz, and expansion of the Torghundi–Herat and Andkhoy–Shiberghan–Mazar-i-Sharif railway lines.

Officials say these projects aim to strengthen infrastructure, improve public services, and support economic growth across the country.

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Afghanistan, Iran sign 23-point MoU to expand border trade

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3 days ago

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May 1, 2026

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Local authorities in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province say a 23-point memorandum of understanding (MOU has been signed with Afghan officials following a recent visit by an Iranian delegation to Nimroz, aimed at deepening economic cooperation and boosting cross-border trade.

Mojib Hassani, Deputy for Economic Coordination and Regional Development in Sistan and Baluchestan, said the visit produced significant outcomes, particularly in expanding small-scale trade, activating border markets, and strengthening bilateral economic ties, IRNA news agency reported.

He noted that Iran is fully prepared to launch local border markets in Shahgol, Milak, and Gomshad, but implementation will depend on readiness from the Afghan side. According to Hassani, the necessary infrastructure has already been completed on Iran’s side of the border.

Trade through official crossings remains ongoing, he said, with livestock imports among the key commodities exchanged—especially ahead of Eid al-Adha, when demand typically rises.

Hassani added that the 23-point framework was developed following the Afghan Minister of Commerce’s visit to Iran, with a strong focus on improving and expanding infrastructure to facilitate trade.

Among the early outcomes of the agreement is the construction of a temporary road linking two border markets, completed within a short timeframe and already contributing to increased trade flows.

He also confirmed Iran’s readiness to build a second border bridge, noting that some equipment has already been deployed. However, further progress on the project—currently around 30 percent complete—will require coordination with Afghan authorities.

Plans are also underway to install an X-ray scanning system at the border, with the process accelerated and expected to be finalized by the end of Jawza (June).

In addition, Hassani said broader infrastructure projects, including road expansion and rail development in the region, are being considered, though they will take time to implement.

He further highlighted efforts in Iran’s Chabahar Free Zone to facilitate Afghan traders, including the development of commercial storage facilities and the allocation of land for business use.

Iranian officials say these initiatives are part of a broader strategy to transform the shared border into a hub for sustainable economic cooperation between the two countries.

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Afghanistan and Shanghai Chambers sign trade and investment cooperation agreement

The Shanghai Chamber of Commerce welcomed the Afghan delegation and stressed the importance of expanding practical and long-term economic cooperation between the two sides.

Published

4 days ago

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April 30, 2026

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The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) has announced that a high-level delegation led by Sayed Karim Hashimi held talks with the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Chinese investors in Shanghai.

During the meeting, Hashimi described Shanghai as one of the world’s leading economic and investment hubs, emphasizing Afghanistan’s strategic location in the heart of Asia as a key bridge between Central and East Asia.

He highlighted China’s Belt and Road Initiative as a major opportunity for regional economic cooperation and reaffirmed Afghanistan’s readiness to actively participate in the framework.

Hashimi also said Afghanistan’s private sector is prepared to expand cooperation with Chinese investors in mining, agriculture, industry, transit, logistics, technology, manufacturing, carpets, precious stones, medical products, and banking sectors.

The Shanghai Chamber of Commerce welcomed the Afghan delegation and stressed the importance of expanding practical and long-term economic cooperation between the two sides.

At the end of the meeting, a cooperation agreement on trade and investment was officially signed between the two chambers.

The delegation also included senior members of provincial chambers and leading Afghan business figures.

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