Business
Afghanistan, Turkmenistan sign MoUs, seal private sector contracts
Afghanistan and Turkmenistan signed three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and an economic cooperation agreement in Kabul on Wednesday for electricity and fiber optics.
In a statement issued by the Presidential Palace (ARG), two companies will be responsible for transferring 500 MW of electricity from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan and for connecting a fiber optics network. The companies are Afghanistan’s Bayat Group and Turkmenistan’s Chalak Company.
During the official signing ceremony, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani thanked the two companies for their cooperation and said Turkmenistan and Afghanistan are proving to be good neighbors amid efforts to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties.
“Thanks to the presence of Bayat Group and Chalak Private Company, it shows that Afghan and international private companies have joined hands to provide electricity,” Ghani was quoted in the statement as having said.
“Fiber optics is the infrastructure of the 21st century and this infrastructure gives hope to our youth. Innovative work in the 21st century is impossible without a comprehensive understanding of fiber optic networks, connectivity and modern technology,” he stated.
Representing Turkmenistan at the event was Turkmen Ambassador to Afghanistan Ovezov Hoja Sapargeldievich.
The ambassador said talks between the presidents of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan had always been about bilateral cooperation and partnership. He said his country supports all efforts and initiatives for peace and stability in Afghanistan and hoped that Afghanistan would achieve peace as soon as possible.
Ghani in turn thanked the ambassador and the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow and said that with ongoing efforts to strengthen ties new avenues, including the lapus lazuli and silk road routes, were projects that will be delivered on.
He said the countries were today able to revisit history and make up for the time lost in recent years.
Ghani also said the TAPI pipeline project would benefit both countries and the people of Afghanistan.
“Turkmenistan is a good neighbor not only to Afghanistan, but to all of us, and we are going back to our ancient roots,” he said.
Iranian officials have announced that they are pursuing a plan to establish a trilateral free trade and industrial zone between Iran, Afghanistan, and China aimed at expanding economic cooperation, attracting foreign investment, and strengthening transit routes.
Morteza Zakarian, Director General of Economic and Financial Affairs of Iran’s South Khorasan Province, said the proposal was put forward based on the geographical, mining, and transit capacities of the three countries, and that administrative and expert reviews of the plan are ongoing.
Speaking at a meeting with a Chinese economic delegation at the South Khorasan Special Economic Zone, Zakarian said the Iran-Afghanistan-China route could serve as a secure and sustainable corridor, creating opportunities for expanded trade and economic cooperation among regional countries.
He added that the proposal to establish the trilateral free trade zone was presented by the provincial governor during the Iranian president’s visit to South Khorasan in 2025.
Zakarian stressed that the implementation of the project should not rely solely on government resources, adding that the private sector, particularly Chinese investors, could play an important role in making the plan a reality.
The Director General of Economic and Financial Affairs of South Khorasan highlighted the province’s border location with Afghanistan, mineral resources, workforce, available land for economic projects, and position along major transit routes as key advantages.
He said Afghanistan’s mineral resources, rare elements, and transit position, along with China’s investment capacity, financing potential, and technological expertise, could contribute to this economic cooperation model.
Zakarian also noted the growing presence of Chinese investors in South Khorasan, saying that 12 investment projects by Chinese nationals have so far been approved in the province, with more than half receiving approval over the past two years.
Business
Afghanistan, Uzbekistan discuss expanding economic, trade and investment cooperation
For his part, Khojayev said Uzbekistan is prepared to invest in Afghanistan’s mining sector and increase imports of Afghan meat and cotton.
Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, met on Sunday with Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister, Jamshid Khojayev, and his accompanying delegation at the Chahar Chinar Palace in the Arg to discuss expanding bilateral economic cooperation.
The two sides held talks on strengthening economic, trade, investment, and transit cooperation between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.
Baradar said stronger and more stable relations between Kabul and Tashkent would not only serve the economic interests of both countries but also contribute to regional stability. He added that the Islamic Emirate is ready to use all available capacities to further strengthen and expand bilateral ties.
He emphasized the effective implementation of the joint action plan between the two countries, describing it as an important step toward boosting economic growth.
Baradar also identified several priority areas for cooperation, including removing obstacles to the movement of Afghan export vehicles to Uzbekistan, granting exemptions for Afghan transit goods arriving from China, Central Asia, and Russia, facilitating exports of Afghanistan’s agricultural products, fresh and dried fruits, food products, and valuable minerals to the markets of Central Asia, Russia, and China, increasing the capacity of transit infrastructure, expanding customs facilities, easing the issuance of visas for Afghan citizens, and enhancing cooperation in the energy sector and joint infrastructure projects.
He said broader cooperation between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan would not only elevate bilateral economic relations but could also serve as a model of good neighborly relations for other countries in the region.
For his part, Khojayev said Uzbekistan is prepared to invest in Afghanistan’s mining sector and increase imports of Afghan meat and cotton.
He also announced Uzbekistan’s readiness to build a $50 million zinc processing plant in Hairatan.
Khojayev added that the Uzbek delegation would work with relevant institutions of the Islamic Emirate in the areas of transport, energy, agricultural development, banking, trade, economic cooperation, and capacity-building for Afghan citizens.
More than 205,000 Afghan citizens traveled to Uzbekistan for trade and business activities during the first six months of 2026, making Afghanistan the largest source of foreign commercial visitors to the country, according to official data.
Uzbekistan’s National Statistics Committee reported that a total of 228,615 foreign nationals visited the country for commercial purposes during the period, with Afghan visitors accounting for the vast majority.
The data showed that 205,937 Afghans arrived in Uzbekistan for business-related activities between January and June, far exceeding the figures recorded from other countries.
Turkmenistan ranked second with 16,322 commercial visitors, followed by Tajikistan with 4,320. The list also included 628 citizens from Kyrgyzstan, 311 from Kazakhstan, 230 from Russia, and 188 from Turkey.
The figures highlight the growing role of Afghan traders and businesses in cross-border economic activities between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan has remained one of Afghanistan’s key trade and transit partners, with both countries seeking to expand economic cooperation, connectivity, and regional trade links.
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