Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan meet over trade and transit ties

A trilateral trade meeting between Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan was held in Islamabad on Tuesday and the participants emphasized the need to strengthen economic relations between the three countries.

The meeting was attended by Nuruddin Azizi, Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan, Gohar Ejaz, Minister of Commerce of Pakistan, and Jamshid Khodjaev Abdukhakomovich, Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan.

The Afghan Embassy in Islamabad said that discussions centered around advancing the trans-Afghan railway project, trilateral transit and trade, challenges to regional connectivity and other matters.

The minutes of the meeting, which was signed between these countries, focused on strengthening trilateral economic relations and regional connectivity through trade development, more transit facilities, increasing joint investments, reducing costs, transportation facilities, digitalization of customs systems, strengthening and expanding the banking system, food security, issuing visas, and also solving transit problems and strengthening trilateral transit.

“This is a significant step towards strengthening of economic ties and regional connectivity. Bright prospects for trade, investment, and connectivity lie ahead for mutual benefit of three countries,” Gohar Ejaz, the Minister of Commerce of Pakistan, said on X.