Business
Azizi says efforts ongoing to find alternative trade routes
Minister of Commerce and Industry Nooruddin Azizi said at a meeting that the ministry is trying to find additional routes to boost trade for the private sector.
As a landlocked country, Afghanistan has regularly faced challenges regarding trade, especially in the transfer of goods over land.
Now, however, the Islamic Emirate is trying to find alternative ways of doing business, so a meeting was convened by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry said in this meeting that the search for an alternative way for the country’s trade is not blocking other roads and ports, but the Islamic Emirate is trying to create facilities for the private sector.
Abdulsalam Jawad Akhundzada, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, says that: “The leadership of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has been obliged to work with the respected members of the Tariff Committee to find an alternative way for the country’s trade. In this meeting, Mr. Azizi emphasized on bringing ease to the growth of the industry. And the prosperity of the country’s trade, he said, “Looking for an alternative way for Afghanistan’s trade is not blocking other roads and ports, but we are trying to bring more convenience to the private sector.”
In this meeting, the Tariff Committee has introduced its special and technical representative for better and effective use of Chabahar port as one of the alternative ways for the country’s trade.
Abdul Nasir Rashtiya, a member of the Chamber of Industries and Mines, says: “Since Afghanistan is dependent on one route and problems arise from time to time, I think the best alternative route is Chabahar and Abbas ports, which are both closer in terms of area and in terms of transportation costs and in general having good economic relations with all neighboring countries can save Afghanistan from being isolated.”
According to experts, whenever alternative ways of business are sought and used, the country’s exports increase. He also said Afghan businessmen will have access to global markets.
However, the Director General of Customs of South Khorasan region in Iran has announced that the transit of goods from this region to Afghanistan has tripled. According to the Iranian official’s explanation, 19,936 trucks of goods were transited to Afghanistan through Mahirud Customs last year.
Ariana Afghan Airlines has announced a reduction in cargo service rates on the Kabul–Delhi route as part of efforts to support Afghanistan’s trade and export sector.
The airline said the new cargo rate has been set at $1.20 per kilogram, a move intended to make air freight more affordable and accessible for Afghan traders and exporters.
Bakht-ur-Rahman Sharafat, head of Ariana Afghan Airlines, said the decision is expected to play a significant role in increasing exports of domestic products and strengthening commercial activity between Afghanistan and India.
He added that Ariana will continue to introduce new measures in the future to improve its services and better meet the needs of its customers.
Thirteen trade and investment memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth more than $100 million were signed between private sector representatives of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan during a conference held in Kabul on Saturday.
The conference, which brought together business leaders and officials from both countries, focused on expanding bilateral economic cooperation, increasing trade volume, and identifying new investment opportunities.
Speaking at the event, Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan, said economic relations between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have gained notable momentum in recent months. He stressed that Afghanistan is actively working to strengthen regional trade ties and create a more favorable environment for investors.
Azizi added that Afghanistan offers significant investment potential, particularly due to its available workforce and emerging opportunities across multiple sectors, and is ready to welcome joint ventures with foreign partners.
Officials from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan said the government has facilitated around $2 billion in investment across various sectors over the past year, reflecting growing investor interest in the country’s economy.
The Uzbek delegation also reiterated its commitment to expanding economic relations with Afghanistan, describing the agreements as an important step toward deeper regional cooperation.
Amanbay Orynbayev, head of Uzbekistan’s Karakalpakstan delegation, said his country places strong emphasis on long-term, transparent, and reliable economic partnerships. He encouraged Afghan traders to take advantage of joint investment opportunities to access new regional markets.
The Afghan private sector welcomed the agreements, expressing hope that increased trade engagement and business exchanges will further strengthen economic ties between the two neighboring countries.
Officials noted that the total value of agreements signed between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan has now exceeded $1.5 billion. If implemented effectively, these commitments are expected to contribute to increased trade flows and broader economic growth in Afghanistan.
A new multimodal freight corridor linking China and Afghanistan via Turkmenistan has been officially launched, aiming to improve the speed and efficiency of overland cargo transportation across Central Asia.
According to the Turkmenistan Embassy in London, the country has become part of a newly established route designed to accelerate freight deliveries between China and Afghanistan.
The corridor, developed with the involvement of Uzbekistan Railways’ subsidiary Uztemiryulcontainer, covers approximately 7,400 kilometers and is expected to reduce transit time to around 30 days, improving overall logistics efficiency.
Under the new route, containers are transported by rail from China through the Altynkol station in Kazakhstan, continuing via Uzbekistan to a logistics hub in Bukhara. From there, cargo is transferred to road transport and moved across Turkmenistan before reaching Herat in Afghanistan.
Officials say the new system integrates rail and road networks into a unified logistics chain, making transport more predictable and efficient.
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