IEA and Kyrgyz trade officials meet in Kabul

A bilateral meeting between a delegation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) led by Nooruddin Azizi, the acting minister of commerce and industry, and a visiting delegation led by Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Economy and Trade Daniyar Amangeldiev was held on Thursday in Kabul.

The ministry of commerce said in a memo that members of the private sector of both countries also attended the meeting.

Azizi said in the meeting: “We have trade with each of the Central Asian countries to the amount of one billion dollars, and we hope that this trip will be useful for the people of the two countries.”

He also emphasized the development and consolidation of trade and transit relations between the two countries.

“Afghanistan wants low-cost transit through the Kyrgyz Republic to the People’s Republic of China, and now the private sector of the two countries is also present, and we fully support the private sector of Afghanistan,” Azizi said.

Kyrgyzstan’s minister of trade and economy meanwhile said: “The conditions and opportunities for strengthening relations and development in the field of trade and transit have become favorable, and we hope that the private sector of both sides can sign a memorandum of cooperation in the near future.”

Amangeldiev raised the issue of their export capacity of fish and meat and the need to import agricultural products from Afghanistan.

He also raised the topic of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway line.

“Afghanistan can be connected to this railway through the country of Uzbekistan, which has very good relations with Afghanistan. Also, Kyrgyzstan is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, which are the mentioned countries in the field of trade; they have almost the same standards and we support Afghanistan’s entry into this market,” Amangeldiev said.

Azizi welcomed Amangeldiev’s remarks, and said the IEA was ready to strengthen trade and transit relations between the two countries.

A decision was meanwhile taken to establish contact teams from both sides.